Something Different
by KJMorse
Summary: My High Five ending CUPCAKE
1. Default Chapter

1 Something Different  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
"Nice dress" he said. "Take it off."  
  
Who would have thought that 5 words could create so much trouble?  
  
It had been about 2 and a half months since that night, and even now, I had no idea what it all meant.  
  
Lying in bed one night, I got to thinking about the 2 men, who were kind off in my life at the moment.  
  
First there was Joe Morelli, the man who I have loved since I was 6 years old, when he had taught me the choo-choo game. I could be happy with Morelli, except that I don't know if he can trusted to stay with me, and only me. Morelli men have a wondering eye, the majority of them cheat on their wives, and that was what I worried about. More so now with his ex high school girl friend, Terry Gilman, hanging around him. And then there was Ranger, a man who has no fixed address, that I know of, a daughter, which means an ex-wife, and that was all I knew about Ranger.  
  
All I knew was that life was about to get more complicated.  
  
The next morning, I got up and headed to the shower, while under the water I looked down at my toes, and realized that in a few months, I wouldn't be able to see my toes, or any other part of my body down there due to my fat tummy. I had mixed feelings about being pregnant, but I did know that I was pretty sure that I wanted this child, I just didn't know how the father would react. So far Mary Lou and I were the only ones to know, and I was surprised that she hadn't told anyone, but then again, I did threaten her with my gun, if she told anyone. Mary Lou had been after me to tell her who the father was, but so far, I wasn't going to tell anyone, until I told him, but he hadn't been around for about a month and a half, and I didn't know when he would be back.  
  
I got out of the shower and while I was getting dressed, I decided that I had to call him, to tell him, I was pregnant, provided that I could find him.  
  
But I had to go to the office first.  
  
On my way to the office, I had a bad feeling that my secret was about to be let out of the bag, and that Connie and Lula were going to bombard me when I got to the door. That meant if they knew then the whole burg probably knew.  
  
As I parked big blue outside the office, I noticed that there were no black cars out front, which meant Ranger wasn't back yet.  
  
As I opened the door, I heard Connie and Lula arguing about pizza.  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?" I asked  
  
"Not much, we were just talking about our favorite pizza toppings. Mine is ham, bacon and pineapple" replied Lula  
  
"That's disgusting" replied Connie, "I go for the vegetarian pizza, personally"  
  
"What about you Steph?" asked Lula  
  
"Well of late I've been liking cheese, mushrooms, ham and pineapple"  
  
"Yewwww" the both said  
  
"Are you ok Steph?" asked Connie "You look a bit pale"  
  
"Yeah I'm fine, just been feeling a little bit sick. Do you know when Ranger is getting back in town?"  
  
"Yeah he should be getting back today sometime" said Connie  
  
Out of the blue Lula suddenly asked "Are you preggers Steph?"  
  
I felt all the blood drain out of my face, "What makes you ask that?"  
  
"Well the strange pizza combo's, feeling sick this morning and now your all pale, you should probably sit down before you faint"  
  
"Now that you mention it, it does make sense" said Connie  
  
"So are you?" they kept asking  
  
"If I tell you, do you promise not to say anything at all? I'll shoot you if you do!!" I think they realized that it was an empty threat, because I hate shooting at people.  
  
"Of course we promise" they replied  
  
"Then yes, I'm a 8 weeks gone"  
  
I wasn't expecting the response they gave, they both jumped up and were hugging me and crying yelling at me for not telling them earlier.  
  
The next thing I knew Vinnie came running out of his office, wanting to know what was going on.  
  
I shoot both Lula and Connie a look, that meant don't you dare tell him.  
  
"Um, nothing at all, we were just talking about girl stuff" said Lula  
  
Obviously upset that we wouldn't tell him, he retreated back into his office.  
  
"So who's is it?" asked Connie  
  
"Oh I bet its Ranger's, she just asked when he was coming back" said Lula  
  
"Forget it guys, I'm not telling you!!!"  
  
"Listen, do you have any FTA's?" I asked "I'm kinda gonna need to money now"  
  
"Yeah, two just came in, are you sure you want them?"  
  
"YES, I'm sure, I'm only pregnant, not dying!"  
  
Connie handed me the files, and I flipped them both open to read them, "Martin Goode, busted for DUI and carrying concealed, an eight inch flick knife. Ok, I can handle this. The second FTA Sally Turton, B & E"  
  
I did a quick calculation, and I would get about $800 for the both of them.  
  
"Hey Lula, you wanna ride along?"  
  
"Sure, got nothing better to do! But we gotta take my car, I need surround sound, I need Dolby."  
  
"Ok lets go in your car" 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2  
  
We got into Lula's car and she cranked up the volume and the bass, so loud that the windows were shaking.  
  
"Can't you turn that down a bit?" I tried to yell over the music  
  
"What I can't hear you" she replied  
  
I was going to try again, but decided that she did not want to hear me. I got out Sally Turton's file and pointed to her address to show Lula.  
  
5 minutes later we were pulled up outside a huge apartment building, we started to get out of the Firebird, when a short woman came running out and jumped into a waiting car  
  
"That's her," I yelled to Lula. "Stop, stop" I yelled at Sally. But she couldn't hear me.  
  
By the time Lula and I were back in the car, Sally's car was half way down the road.  
  
"Hurry up, the Buick can go faster that this!!!!!" I yelled, so much for an easy FTA!  
  
Unfortunately for us, as Sally's car went though the lights, they turned red, and we had to stop.  
  
"I told you to go faster, now we've lost her" I was screaming  
  
"Shit, just calm down girl, we'll get her later, we can go after the other loser"  
  
Ooh great, the one busted for carrying concealed, yippee  
  
I rummaged around in my bag to find Martin Goode's file, and showed Lula his address.  
  
"That's just around the corner"  
  
"Let's just get him and bring him in, then we can go find Sally Turton, and then get something to eat, I'm starving!"  
  
"Man, if you staving now, imagine how you'll be in 6 months time! You'll be as big as a house"  
  
Lula must have seem the look of terror in my eyes, because she laughed and said "Just kidding"  
  
"Let's just get going"  
  
Martin Goode lived on the other side of Trenton, unfortunately, this gave Lula a hell of a lot of time to bombard me with questions.  
  
"Your eight weeks pregnant right?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"Just thinking about what was happening eight weeks ago"  
  
"Your point…"  
  
"Eight weeks ago you can back from a weekend away, right?"  
  
"Yes" I said curiously  
  
"You never told us who you went away with"  
  
"I know"  
  
"So is the guy you went away with the father?"  
  
"Maybe"  
  
"Ranger has been away ever since that weekend"  
  
"So?" I was wishing she would get to the point.  
  
"So" she mimicked me "I think he's the father"  
  
"Ooh, look we're here!"  
  
"Please tell me who the father is. Please" Lula whined  
  
"No" I said as I got out of the car. "Everyone will find out sooner enough."  
  
We entered the apartment building and made our way up the stairs and found apartment 12B.  
  
I knocked on the door, and after a few minutes, I knocked again.  
  
"Maybe he's not home" said Lula  
  
"I can hear something inside." I told her "Martin Goode?" I yelled though the door  
  
The door opened revealing an enormously tall guy.  
  
"Hi, are you Martin Goode?"  
  
"Yep, who wants to know?"  
  
"We do, you see, we work for Vincent Plum, your bond agent, we're here to help you set a new trial date." said Lula  
  
"Shit, no, I ain't goin' to no jail" he replied while closing the door  
  
Lula stuck here foot in the door, to stop it from closing "Wanna bet scumbag?"  
  
With that Martin crumbled to the floor.  
  
"Lula, what the hell have you done now?"  
  
"Nothing, I just thought this might speed up the process."  
  
"Come on lets get him to the car, before he wakes up"  
  
To get him down to the car, I had to take his feet and Lula grabbed his arms, and it took about 5 minutes to get him to the car because every time we sat him up in the car, he kept flopping over, so while I did up the seat belt, Lula held him up. Eventually we were on out way.  
  
Halfway to the police station Martin woke up, and started to scream obscenities at us.  
  
"Lula, can he get out?"  
  
"Don't think so, did you set the child lock?"  
  
"No I thought you did"  
  
"Shit" she yelled as she slammed on the breaks  
  
We both got, but unfortunately so did Martin, I reached back in the car, and grabbed the first thing I laid my hands, which just happened to be my pepper spray.  
  
"Lula, close your eyes"  
  
I pushed the button, and the pepper spray got him straight in the face. He went over onto his knees in pain.  
  
"Let's get him back in the car, and lets remember to set the child lock!" I said.  
  
Another 5 minutes it took to get him back in the car, and then another 5 minutes to get him to the police station, and then another 5 minutes to get him out of the car and hand him over to the docket lieutenant. While I got all the paper work signed, Lula went back out to the car and waited for me.  
  
On my way out, I ran into one of the oldest friends, Eddie Gazarra. I hadn't seen him in a while, so we stopped to chat for a while. After catching up for 10 minutes, we said goodbye.  
  
"Shit, are you pregnant?"  
  
For the second time that day, I went pale. "Do you have to yell that out so loud?"  
  
"Sorry" he said, coming closer to me. "Well are you?"  
  
"Yes" I said quietly "how did you know?"  
  
"You have the same look the Shirley gets, she kinda glows, and your glowing!"  
  
I must have looked shocked, because he quickly added "Congratulations, by the way."  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"How far along are you?"  
  
"About 8 weeks"  
  
"Um, does Morelli know?"  
  
"Why would he know?"  
  
"I just assumed…"  
  
"Well assume nothing, besides I haven't seen him for about a two months"  
  
"Neither have I, he hasn't been around here for months, by the way, is Morelli the father? You didn't exactly deny it"  
  
"I'm not telling anyone until I've spoken to the father. Please don't tell Shirley, 'cause she'll tell the whole burg, and that's the last thing I want"  
  
"Your secret is safe with me"  
  
"I've gotta go, Lula is waiting for me in the car. Bye and thanks."  
  
"Yeah, see ya round, look after yourself ok?"  
  
When I got to the car, Lula was hopping mad.  
  
"What took you so long?" she yelled "You know I hate police stations"  
  
"I was talking to Eddie"  
  
"What do you want to do now?"  
  
"Well, while we're on a roll, lets see if we can find Sally" 


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3  
  
I rang Connie, to see if she had any ideas as to where we might find Sally, she suggested Sally's boyfriend, because she had listed his address as her other place of residence. I thanked Connie and hung up. I pulled out Sally's file, and looked up her boyfriends address, 234 Hopetown Street. I told Lula the address, but neither of us had ever heard of it, so we looked it up, and it turned out to be a few streets over from my parents place.  
  
"Since it's about lunch time, why don't we stop at your parents house?" asked Lula  
  
"No way, you know that if Grandma Mazur is there, she'll only want to come, and lets face it, we'd be better off without her"  
  
"Does your mother know about…?" she asked pointing her head in the direction of my stomach.  
  
"No, and I would like to stay that while for a bit longer, do you have any idea, what it would do to her if she found out I was 8 weeks pregnant and not married. She'd have a heart attack. I just hope she doesn't notice. After all, you guys did."  
  
"If she starts to ask questions, we'll just hustle our butts out, ok"  
  
"Ok" The same feeling that washed over me that morning, washed over me again.  
  
When we pulled into the drive, mom appeared at the door.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "You're not in any trouble are you?"  
  
"No, we were in the neighborhood for business and thought we'd drop in for lunch." Lula replied "Is that ok?"  
  
"Not bounty hunter business?"  
  
"Yes mom, bounty hunter business"  
  
"You know, Macy's in hiring makeup artists" mom told us.  
  
"I'm not interested in another job, the one I've got is fine. Can we just please get some lunch, we want to be gone before Grandma Mazur gets back, and we don't want her tagging along. By the way, where is she?"  
  
"At the beauty salon, you know she has her hair done every Wednesday. She should be back in about half an hour"  
  
"Well, we had better get started on lunch then, I'm starving" Lula announced  
  
I don't think Lula or I had ever downed so much food, in so little time.  
  
As we left, mom handed me a brown paper bag, which smelt like leftovers.  
  
"Are you going to come back for dinner?" mom asked.  
  
"Nah, I think I've eaten enough to last me the next few meals. Plus this bag of food, will keep me going for longer after that."  
  
"Not the way you've been eating…" Lula whispered in my ear "Thanks for lunch Mrs. Plum"  
  
"Your welcome. Remember about the job at Macy's"  
  
"Bye mom"  
  
Our next stop was Sally's boyfriends, with any luck we would find her there, haul her to the police station, and collect my money.  
  
As we were pulling out of my parents drive way, Lula asked "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Yeah, what?"  
  
"What are you going to do when you get further along in your pregnancy and after you have the baby? You're not going to be able to keep working."  
  
"I haven't really thought about that, and I sure as hell don't want to become a house wife. Could you see me doing that?" I thought for a moment. "Maybe I should start looking for another job."  
  
"I guess it's some thing you and "Ranger" are going to have to talk about"  
  
I ignored the Ranger part "Who said anything him, it's my decision, not his."  
  
"Man. I would love to see how he reacts to that!"  
  
"Slow down, we should be just about there. That's the building" I said pointing to a five story brown brick apartment block.  
  
We pulled into the closed parking spot we could find, mainly because we are lazy, and that Lula has a habit of using her stun gun, which makes it hard to drag someone long distances.  
  
"What apartment number is it?" Lula asked as we walked up to the front door  
  
"Um, 4c"  
  
"Good thing we parked close by"  
  
"Please, please, please do not stun her"  
  
With that, Lula pushed open the door and proceeded up the stairs.  
  
"You know, there's an elevator just here" I told her  
  
"I know, but we need the exercise after that lunch"  
  
Four stories later, we were knocking on the door of 4c.  
  
"Fugitive Apprehension Agent, open up" I yelled though the door  
  
The door was thrown open, and a very large bland man snarled at us.  
  
"Wadda what?"  
  
"We're looking for Sally Turton, is she here?" I responded  
  
"Wadda what with her?"  
  
"She missed her trial date, and we need to bring her in to reschedule it" replied Lula  
  
"Well, she ain't her, so why don't you piss off"  
  
The next voice we heard wasn't mine, Lula's or baldy man, but in fact the woman who wasn't here.  
  
"Sally Turton?" I asked "Hi, I'm Stephanie Plum, I work for Vincent Plum, your in violation of your bond agreement."  
  
"No shit, really" she said sarcastically  
  
"Yeah, no shit, we need to take you in to reschedule"  
  
"And what if I don't want to go?"  
  
"Then I zap baldy here and then you" said Lula  
  
"I'd like to see you try" said baldy man  
  
Within second of him finishing that sentence he was on the ground.  
  
"Now will you come with us?"  
  
"Yeah, just don't hurt me. Will he be ok?"  
  
"In a few minutes he should be fine. We'll just pick him up and put him on the couch over there"  
  
45 minutes later I was back at the office, and Connie was writing out a cheque for me.  
  
"Now what" asked Lula  
  
"Macy's is having a sale, you can go shopping for maternity clothes" Connie said  
  
"I think I'm a few months away from that"  
  
"But you can go and at least have a look" said Lula, "I'll come with you"  
  
"And you can pick me up some nail polish" said Connie  
  
"Out of curiosity, how many colors do you have Connie" I asked  
  
"Oh, I don't know, try and buy me something outrageous"  
  
"I suppose we're going in you car right?" I said to Lula  
  
"Yep, still won't go in no pimp mobile"  
  
"Let's go then, but I have to go to the bank first to cash my cheque"  
  
20 minutes later we were walking inside the front doors at Macy's.  
  
"Maternity is that way" Lula told me, very loudly  
  
"You want to tell the whole world?"  
  
"Sorry"  
  
We slowly made your way over to the maternity section of Macy's and within seconds, Lula had found me something to try on.  
  
"You do realize that I need to be at least 6 months for this to fit?  
  
"Yes, but it's on sale, just go try it on"  
  
It was a beautiful pale yellow, sleeveless, knee length dress. The moment put it on, I decided that I was going to buy it. And it only cost $30.  
  
We spent another 30 minutes looking at stuff, and trying it all on. I looked at my watch, and realized how late it was.  
  
"Lula, its 3:30, we've got to go and find something for Connie"  
  
"I'll head over there, you pay for your stuff"  
  
Unfortunately for me, on my way to find Lula I ran into Joyce Burnhart.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Stephanie Plum"  
  
"Hello, Joyce, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm shopping for something, obviously. I've decided to get a boyfriend, of course, it all depends on which man you have in your life - Ranger or Morelli. Then again, I might, just go after both of them. What do you think?"  
  
"Do you really think that either of them would look sideways at you?"  
  
"Probably not, but I figure that they both went after you, just like Dickie, and I got Dickie, so why should either of them be any different."  
  
"Newsflash, Dickie went after anything with 2 breasts. I think Morelli and Ranger have a little bit more class"  
  
"You forget Steph, they're both red blooded males, when it come down to it, all men are the same, and they all want the same."  
  
By now I was fuming.  
  
"What the hell is it with you and men in my life? First it was dumb ass Dickie and now Morelli and Ranger. Can't you find men of your own?"  
  
"I can get more men than I can handle, I just happen to like yours more"  
  
"Oh my god, you are one sick sad woman. Do you have nothing better to do with your time that harass me? What the hell have I ever done you?" I yelled  
  
The next thing I knew, Joyce was on the ground and Lula was standing behind her.  
  
"Fastest stun gun in the west" announced Lula  
  
"Lula" I hissed  
  
"I know, but she was pissing you off. I had to do something."  
  
"Let's sit her down on the chair over there, by the way, people are looking at us"  
  
Lula got up "Move along people, ain't nothing to see here"  
  
Joyce was beginning to wake up.  
  
"Joyce, are you ok?"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You fainted again, you should really go and have that checked out"  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"Lula, lets get out of here"  
  
"Hang on, I had just found the perfect color for Connie"  
  
"Then go get it, I'll wait by the car"  
  
20 minutes Lula had dropped me back at the office.  
  
"Let's go show Connie the nail polish color, and tell her about Joyce"  
  
"Nah, I'm tired, I just want to go home"  
  
"Ok, take care. See ya tomorrow"  
  
I go into my car and along with all my packages went home.  
  
When I got home, I pushed the elevator button and waited for the elevator.  
  
When the elevator doors opened Mrs. Bestler announced "Ground floor". Several people got off, and she asked me "Going up?"  
  
"Yep, just hold the doors for a second" I said while struggling with all my packages.  
  
"What floor?" she asked as I got in.  
  
"Second please"  
  
"Good choice, 50% off all cooking utensils today."  
  
Usually when I come home and Mrs. Beslter is playing elevators, she mentions something about ladies clothes or bounty hunting, so I wondered why she chose cooking utensils.  
  
When the elevator got to my floor I stepped out and thanked her and got out. I walked the short distance to my door, only to discover that the door was not locked, and yummy smells were coming from inside, I realized why Mrs. Beslter mentioned cooking utensils.  
  
I opened the door and dumped my coat in the hallway, along with my packages, I continued through to the kitchen, when I got there I saw the owner of the best butt in Trenton cooking in my kitchen.  
  
"Morelli, what are you doing in my apartment? How did you get in my apartment?"  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
"Well, are you going to answer me?"  
  
As he turned around to face me, he replied, "Cupcake, I'm here to collect on the debt, and I still have a key to your apartment"  
  
I'd forgotten about his having a key. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I came straight here from work and picked up Pino's meatball subs on the way. I'm just re heating them" He noticed the bag and my hands and raised an eyebrow. "Been to your mother's?"  
  
"Yeah, Lula and I were working out that way, so we dropped in for lunch. Um, where are you parked? I didn't see your car"  
  
"That's 'cause I rode the Ducati over. I parked next to the dumpster, so you wouldn't see it and run away."  
  
Damn, he knew me to well "How long have you been waiting? Can I have a ride?"  
  
"About 15 minutes and no"  
  
"Can you give me a yell when it's ready?"  
  
"Why, where are you going?"  
  
"I was going to have a shower"  
  
Morelli raised his eyebrows "Need someone to wash your back?"  
  
I paused and thought about the last time I had a shower with Morelli in the same house, it hadn't turned out good for me. "No, I think I wait until after dinner" and you've gone I said to myself.  
  
I left Morelli in the kitchen and went back into the hall to collect my packages. I noticed on the bags it said "Macy's Maternity" I hadn't noticed it earlier. I hoped that Joyce had not seen the bags when we argued at Macy's. Otherwise I was in big, big trouble. Hell. I was in big enough trouble right now, what would happen if Morelli saw the bags? Unfortunately at that moment, Morelli walked into the hall.  
  
"I'm just getting ready to serve. What's in the bags?"  
  
"Umm, not much, Lula and I went shopping"  
  
"At Macy's Maternity?"  
  
"Yeah, umm, a friend of mine is pregnant. We went shopping for the, umm, baby shower"  
  
"Which friend?"  
  
"Nobody you know"  
  
Morelli looked at me with, oh god, those eyes, I swear I felt my knees begin to melt I put my hand on the wall to steady me. "Ok, hurry up"  
  
Pull yourself together Plum, I said to myself, its just your hormones going wild. No big deal. "I'll be there in a minute"  
  
5 minutes later we were seated at the kitchen table, and I was starved, I guess Lula was right when she said I'd be hungry again soon.  
  
"So, where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while. Not since…"  
  
"I know, that was the other reason I came here tonight, I wanted a chance to explain what's been going on"  
  
"What's been going on? All I know is that you've been gone for over a month"  
  
"Can we talk about this after dinner?"  
  
"If we have to"  
  
For the next 10 minutes we sat and ate in pretty much silence. When we had finished Morelli asked "What did your mother send home with you?"  
  
I got up and had a look in the bag "I have no idea, I haven't looked, but it smells like chocolate cake. Yep I was right, it's chocolate cake, you want some?"  
  
"You had to ask?"  
  
We scarfed down the chocolate cake, and Morelli settled himself on the couch, while I sat opposite him on a chair, I had a feeling that we would need several more beers. Luckily for me, Morelli had bought a six pack with him  
  
"Ok, so what's up?" I asked  
  
"Firstly I want to know one thing. Have you ever slept with Ranger?"  
  
"Do your really want to know?"  
  
"Yes, its something I need to know" he replied  
  
"Do you remember how we were going to go away for a romantic weekend after the "black dress" night?"  
  
Morelli nodded  
  
I looked down at my hands, they were shaking. "Well, after you cancelled, Ranger rang and asked me if I needed to make some quick cash, and of course, I said yes. Anyway, we had to go to Atlantic City and pretend to be honeymooners. I suppose it was the room and the atmosphere and the fact that Mary Lou had just called me to tell me she has seen you kissing Terry, well I thought, if you can screw around on me, then why can't I, so I slept with Ranger"  
  
I looked up at Morelli, and was fairly surprised to see that he was really not all that upset.  
  
"I expected you to be more upset that this"  
  
"I am upset, the reason I was kissing Terry, was I had just found out you had gone away with Ranger, and I wanted to go after you, but we were on a job"  
  
"Did you have sex with Terry?" I asked quietly  
  
"Yes, but I think it was for the same reasons that you slept with Ranger, because we knew the other was doing something wrong, and we both wanted to prove a point"  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"No, I've already told you, you are the one that I love. But, do you love Ranger?"  
  
"I think it was just lust with Ranger. I woke up the next morning in Atlantic City and realised I was in the honeymoon suite with the wrong person. I think that I love you."  
  
"Do you realise that, that's the first time you have told me that?"  
  
"I suppose I was just trying to deny my feelings, because I didn't want to get hurt, I know you are different than the rest of the Morelli men, but still, you have some of those genes"  
  
"You know, that I would never hurt you right?"  
  
"I know" I said simply  
  
"How do things stand with Ranger?"  
  
"I don't know, I told him that it was you I wanted to be with, and I think he handled it well, but with Ranger who knows."  
  
"You haven't seen him?"  
  
"No, not since we left Atlantic City, he kinda just disappeared, what about Terry?"  
  
"We still see each other, mainly because of a case we are working on, but not outside of the job"  
  
"You know, you never explained where you had been for the past month"  
  
"Terry and I were working undercover, and we had to go to New York"  
  
"Now what? We have everything sorted out, right?"  
  
"Yep" Joe stood up, and took two strides across the room, pulled me to my feet and kissed me, it was long, hot and lots and lots of tonsil hockey.  
  
When we broke away, I said "I've missed that"  
  
"What else have you missed?" Morelli asked as he started to kiss my neck and moving slowly down my body  
  
"That, and ohh that as well" It was about time I had a Morelli induced orgasm.  
  
Unfortunately for me, that's when I heard my front door being opened. And I also knew who it was. Oh shit, god please help me.  
  
"Joe, stop for a sec"  
  
"Don't want to"  
  
"If you don't we'll have an audience in a few minutes"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stay here" I ordered him  
  
I walked into the kitchen and saw Ranger standing there.  
  
"What are you doing here?" I asked  
  
"Came to see you babe"  
  
"Why? And besides I've kinda got company"  
  
"Morelli?"  
  
"If you must know, yes. I have a feeling that if he sees you, he'd be mightily pissed"  
  
"Sees who?" Morelli asked as he walked into the kitchen.  
  
Ohh, shit, kill me now. 


	4. Chapter 4

1 Something Different  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
"Well, are you going to answer me?"  
  
As he turned around to face me, he replied, "Cupcake, I'm here to collect on the debt, and I still have a key to your apartment"  
  
I'd forgotten about his having a key. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I came straight here from work and picked up Pino's meatball subs on the way. I'm just re heating them" He noticed the bag and my hands and raised an eyebrow. "Been to your mother's?"  
  
"Yeah, Lula and I were working out that way, so we dropped in for lunch. Um, where are you parked? I didn't see your car"  
  
"That's 'cause I rode the Ducati over. I parked next to the dumpster, so you wouldn't see it and run away."  
  
Damn, he knew me to well "How long have you been waiting? Can I have a ride?"  
  
"About 15 minutes and no"  
  
"Can you give me a yell when it's ready?"  
  
"Why, where are you going?"  
  
"I was going to have a shower"  
  
Morelli raised his eyebrows "Need someone to wash your back?"  
  
I paused and thought about the last time I had a shower with Morelli in the same house, it hadn't turned out good for me. "No, I think I wait until after dinner" and you've gone I said to myself.  
  
I left Morelli in the kitchen and went back into the hall to collect my packages. I noticed on the bags it said "Macy's Maternity" I hadn't noticed it earlier. I hoped that Joyce had not seen the bags when we argued at Macy's. Otherwise I was in big, big trouble. Hell. I was in big enough trouble right now, what would happen if Morelli saw the bags? Unfortunately at that moment, Morelli walked into the hall.  
  
"I'm just getting ready to serve. What's in the bags?"  
  
"Umm, not much, Lula and I went shopping"  
  
"At Macy's Maternity?"  
  
"Yeah, umm, a friend of mine is pregnant. We went shopping for the, umm, baby shower"  
  
"Which friend?"  
  
"Nobody you know"  
  
Morelli looked at me with, oh god, those eyes, I swear I felt my knees begin to melt I put my hand on the wall to steady me. "Ok, hurry up"  
  
Pull yourself together Plum, I said to myself, its just your hormones going wild. No big deal. "I'll be there in a minute"  
  
5 minutes later we were seated at the kitchen table, and I was starved, I guess Lula was right when she said I'd be hungry again soon.  
  
"So, where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while. Not since…"  
  
"I know, that was the other reason I came here tonight, I wanted a chance to explain what's been going on"  
  
"What's been going on? All I know is that you've been gone for over a month"  
  
"Can we talk about this after dinner?"  
  
"If we have to"  
  
For the next 10 minutes we sat and ate in pretty much silence. When we had finished Morelli asked "What did your mother send home with you?"  
  
I got up and had a look in the bag "I have no idea, I haven't looked, but it smells like chocolate cake. Yep I was right, it's chocolate cake, you want some?"  
  
"You had to ask?"  
  
We scarfed down the chocolate cake, and Morelli settled himself on the couch, while I sat opposite him on a chair, I had a feeling that we would need several more beers. Luckily for me, Morelli had bought a six pack with him  
  
"Ok, so what's up?" I asked  
  
"Firstly I want to know one thing. Have you ever slept with Ranger?"  
  
"Do your really want to know?"  
  
"Yes, its something I need to know" he replied  
  
"Do you remember how we were going to go away for a romantic weekend after the "black dress" night?"  
  
Morelli nodded  
  
I looked down at my hands, they were shaking. "Well, after you cancelled, Ranger rang and asked me if I needed to make some quick cash, and of course, I said yes. Anyway, we had to go to Atlantic City and pretend to be honeymooners. I suppose it was the room and the atmosphere and the fact that Mary Lou had just called me to tell me she has seen you kissing Terry, well I thought, if you can screw around on me, then why can't I, so I slept with Ranger"  
  
I looked up at Morelli, and was fairly surprised to see that he was really not all that upset.  
  
"I expected you to be more upset that this"  
  
"I am upset, the reason I was kissing Terry, was I had just found out you had gone away with Ranger, and I wanted to go after you, but we were on a job"  
  
"Did you have sex with Terry?" I asked quietly  
  
"Yes, but I think it was for the same reasons that you slept with Ranger, because we knew the other was doing something wrong, and we both wanted to prove a point"  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"No, I've already told you, you are the one that I love. But, do you love Ranger?"  
  
"I think it was just lust with Ranger. I woke up the next morning in Atlantic City and realised I was in the honeymoon suite with the wrong person. I think that I love you."  
  
"Do you realise that, that's the first time you have told me that?"  
  
"I suppose I was just trying to deny my feelings, because I didn't want to get hurt, I know you are different than the rest of the Morelli men, but still, you have some of those genes"  
  
"You know, that I would never hurt you right?"  
  
"I know" I said simply  
  
"How do things stand with Ranger?"  
  
"I don't know, I told him that it was you I wanted to be with, and I think he handled it well, but with Ranger who knows."  
  
"You haven't seen him?"  
  
"No, not since we left Atlantic City, he kinda just disappeared, what about Terry?"  
  
"We still see each other, mainly because of a case we are working on, but not outside of the job"  
  
"You know, you never explained where you had been for the past month"  
  
"Terry and I were working undercover, and we had to go to New York"  
  
"Now what? We have everything sorted out, right?"  
  
"Yep" Joe stood up, and took two strides across the room, pulled me to my feet and kissed me, it was long, hot and lots and lots of tonsil hockey.  
  
When we broke away, I said "I've missed that"  
  
"What else have you missed?" Morelli asked as he started to kiss my neck and moving slowly down my body  
  
"That, and ohh that as well" It was about time I had a Morelli induced orgasm.  
  
Unfortunately for me, that's when I heard my front door being opened. And I also knew who it was. Oh shit, god please help me.  
  
"Joe, stop for a sec"  
  
"Don't want to"  
  
"If you don't we'll have an audience in a few minutes"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stay here" I ordered him  
  
I walked into the kitchen and saw Ranger standing there.  
  
"What are you doing here?" I asked  
  
"Came to see you babe"  
  
"Why? And besides I've kinda got company"  
  
"Morelli?"  
  
"If you must know, yes. I have a feeling that if he sees you, he'd be mightily pissed"  
  
"Sees who?" Morelli asked as he walked into the kitchen.  
  
Ohh, shit, kill me now. 


	5. Chapter 5

Something Different  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The next morning I woke to the sound of my phone ringing. Not ready to get up, nor answer the phone I let the machine pick it up. Rolling over to see what time it was, I wondered who the hell was calling me at 7:00 am on a Thursday morning? Lying in bed I went over the events of last night. The evening had started out promising, Joe and I had forgiven the other for sleeping around on each other, and things were beginning to heat up, and we were playing a very hands on game of tonsil hockey, when Ranger interrupted. Speaking of Ranger, I now know he was getting in and out of my apartment, he had a key cut. But that doesn't explain how he was getting in when the chain was on, but I'll find out one day.  
  
Where was I, right, Ranger had let himself in, and Joe had just joined us in the kitchen. To cut a very long story short, they both yelled at me for inviting the other over, they got in a fight with each other, which resulted in my being knocked down. I proceeded to get my gun and threaten to shot their nuts off if they didn't listen to me. I told Ranger what had happened in Atlantic City was a mistake and it was over between us because I was in love with Joe. Then I told Joe I loved him but if he didn't get over the whole Ranger thing, it would be over for us as well. Then I demanded my keys back from both of them, and threw them out of my apartment and told them not to come back.  
  
In the background I heard my phone ring again and the answering machine pick it up, That was the second call this morning, what could be that important that people are calling me this early in the morning. Probably just my mother, but I got up anyway and pressed play.  
  
"Stephanie, this is your mother, why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? And who is the father? Stephanie, if you are there, pick up this phone at once." Click. Oh my god, I thought, I'd forgotten to tell him when he was here to night, but then again it had gotten a bit crowded. There was three more messages form my mother and the last two being from Mary Lou, telling me to call her A.S.A.P. Since my mother sounded absolutely hysterical, I called Mary Lou.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Mary Lou, its Steph. What's up?"  
  
"What do you mean, what's up?"  
  
"Both you and my mother have left frantic messages on my answering machine and I have no idea why"  
  
"Haven't you seen today's paper?"  
  
"I only just got up"  
  
"Go get a paper and have a look at page 5, then call me back"  
  
I went across the hallway and borrowed Mr. Wolinsky's paper. When I got back inside I opened the paper to page 5 and screamed. There in ½ inch writing was the headline: BOMBSHELL BOUNTY HUNTER PREGANT, along with a very unflattering picture of Lula and I looking at maternity clothes.  
  
I rang Mary Lou back, absolutely hysterical.  
  
"What the hell am I going to do???" I asked when she picked up the phone  
  
"Have you told him" She asked  
  
"No…"  
  
"You're not telling me something, I can hear it in your voice, spill it"  
  
"Joe came over last night, and well, he told me that he slept with Terry and I told him that I slept with Ranger. Unfortunately for us, out evening got interrupted when Ranger came over. Lets just say, that I didn't yet any action last night, in fact I kicked them both out."  
  
"You never told me you slept with both of them. Why the hell not and when did you sleep with Ranger?"  
  
I proceeded to tell Mary Lou her whole Atlantic City story, and by the time I was finished she was completely silent.  
  
"Wow, Joe forgave you for that? No other man I know would forgive you, he must really love you. What are you going to do about Ranger, it sounds like he's not going to give up without a fight"  
  
"I know, but Ranger is out of the picture now, I've told him, several times, that what happened in Atlantic City was a mistake."  
  
"So, I guess that the baby is Joe's?"  
  
"Yeah. What do you think he's going to say?"  
  
"I have no idea, but at least one of Grandma Bella's predictions has come true. How do you know its Joe's and not Ranger's"  
  
"Trust me, I know this child is Joe's. Joe and I were less than careful. Listen I've gotta run and see Joe before he sees the paper. Wish me luck"  
  
"Good luck"  
  
1/2 an hour later I was letting myself into Joe's house, armed with donuts and his paper. I was relieved to hear the shower going upstairs, that gave me a few minutes to think. I had another look at the picture in the paper, and thought about how I was going to explain this. Then I heard the water stop. The moment of truth had arrived. I put on water for coffee and just sat and waited.  
  
I heard the stairs creak, and steadied myself.  
  
"Hi Joe" I said as he walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Steph. What are you doing here?" he asked startled "Hang on, how did you get in?"  
  
I jiggled my key in front of me "You're not the only one with a key. I came to give you your paper"  
  
"You came over to give me my paper?"  
  
"Yeah, and to have breakfast with you. I bought donuts"  
  
We sat down, helping ourself to the donuts, while I got up to get the coffee; Joe started to read the paper. I turned my back and looked out the window as I heard him turn the page, and stayed that way until I heard him turn to page 5.  
  
"Um, Steph is there something you wanted to tell me?"  
  
"Guess what, I'm pregnant"  
  
"Oh, how far?"  
  
"About 2 months"  
  
I could see him calculating the months in his mind "whose is it?" he asked, cop face in place.  
  
"Your's" I tried to make light of the announcement "At least one for Grandma Bella's predictions has come true"  
  
Joe went silent for a while. "How do you know its mine and not Ranger's"  
  
"Remember that night?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Do you remember how we were less than 100% careful?"  
  
"I thought you were on the pill, so that last time after we had run out, I didn't worry. But what about Ranger?"  
  
"See, there's the thing, Ranger and I only did it twice, while you and I went all night long, and he and I were protected the entire time."  
  
A look of doubt came over his face. "So what now?" Joe asked  
  
"To quote you, "The balls in your court" I've gotta go. I have to go and see my parents and then I'm going to Mary Lou's. By the way, I'm keeping the baby. Bye"  
  
I got up and walked out. Leaving my key on Joe's kitchen table.  
  
A little over 3 hours later I was sitting with Mary Lou in her lounge room.  
  
"So how did it go with Joe?"  
  
"I told him the balls in his court. So now what ever happens, happens"  
  
"What did you mother say?"  
  
"She completely freaked out. Grandma Mazur was happy, but that's no surprise. I can't work out what she freaked the most about, my being pregnant with no husband, or the fact the that baby's father in Joe."  
  
"How 'bout your dad?"  
  
"He wasn't home thank god. I'm not sure what he might do, he'll either congratulate me and leave it at that, or he might go and kill Joe."  
  
"So, what are you going to do now?"  
  
"I think I need to get out of town for a while and think things through, and give Joe some space. But first I have to go into the office. Need to get some money if I'm going to go away."  
  
I got up and headed towards the door. "Mary Lou what am I going to do? I love Joe, but what if he doesn't want this baby?"  
  
"Then, you have to forget about him."  
  
"Sorry, my hormones are in array, its driving me nuts"  
  
"That's nothing, it only get worse, how's your morning sickness?"  
  
"Not bad, wasn't sick this morning, but other mornings have been worse."  
  
We said our good-byes, and I drove away. On my way to the office, I couldn't think of anything but Joe and the baby, so I put my No Doubt, Return of Saturn tape in, and cranked the music up full ball. By the time I got to the office, I was sufficiently deafened and feeling fine.  
  
When I walked into the office, I was greeted by the glares of Lula and Connie.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?" yelled Lula  
  
"Yeah, when we saw the paper we expected you to be in earlier!" said Connie  
  
"Well, I kinda had a few other things to do, like calm my mother and Mary Lou down, and tell Joe"  
  
"Tell Joe what?" asked Lula  
  
"Ohmigod, he's the father isn't he?" screamed Connie  
  
"Yeah, he is"  
  
"Lula, you owe me $50 bucks"  
  
"Wait, you guys had a bet on who the father of my baby was?"  
  
"Yep, and I won" Connie announced proudly  
  
"So what did Joe say?"  
  
"Nothing really, he's still trying to come to grips with the fact I slept with Ranger"  
  
"When did you sleep with Ranger? You never told us that" Lula yelled.  
  
"I know, there was a reason for that"  
  
"So tell us, come on." Begged Connie  
  
And for the third time in less than 24 hours I told the story of Ranger and me in Atlantic City, along with Joe and Terry in New York. This is turning into quite the saga.  
  
"I just came into to get a couple of FTA's. I'm thinking about getting out of town for a while. By the way, is Vinnie in?"  
  
"Nah, won't be in of a while yet. I wonder what he's going to say about this." Connie replied.  
  
"I don't really care, I can still do the work, at least for a little while longer."  
  
"Here you go, 3 less than dangerous FTA's." Connie told me, handing over the files.  
  
"Do you what some help?" asked Lula.  
  
"Nah, I just want to be alone for a while. See ya later"  
  
I spent the rest of the day hunting down my FTA's and ended up having to visit the police station 3 times. Now that my pregnancy was common knowledge, there were a fair amount of jokes headed my way.  
  
When I got home I glanced at my answering machine and saw it blink about 20 times. Geeze, news gets around pretty quick, but then again, it doesn't help when it's published in the paper.  
  
"What am I going to do now?" I asked Rex. 


	6. Chapter 6

Something Different  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Rex tweaked his whiskers and gave me a look that said, you got yourself into this mess.  
  
"I get your point Rex"  
  
I pressed play on my answering machine. One after another people congratulated me and most of them wanted to know if Joe Morelli was the father. Well, at least they won't be disappointed, I thought to myself. Scattered among all the messages where a couple from my mother, Mary Lou and one from Ranger. No messages from Joe.  
  
I thought about the fact that Joe hadn't called. It's not that I didn't want to hear from him, but it was probably better to stay out of each others way for the moment. Give him time to except that the baby was his.  
  
I thought that I'd get mom and Ranger out of the way first, so when I called Mary Lou she couldn't say I held out on her.  
  
I flipped a coin to see who I'd ring first.  
  
"Hi mum" I said when she picked up. "What's up?"  
  
"Where have you been?" she demanded "I have been getting calls all day about that darn newspaper"  
  
"I've been at work, and I explained this morning, I was going to tell you, but I was waiting until after I had told Joe, but the newspaper beat me to it, well at least with you."  
  
"Surely to god, you not going to keep working?"  
  
"Yeah, for a little while longer, then I'll find something else until after the baby is born."  
  
"What did Joe say when you told him?" mum asked  
  
"Well, he wasn't exactly happy about it. I haven't heard from him since this morning."  
  
"Will he marry you?"  
  
"I honestly don't know, at the moment, I'd say no"  
  
"Oh my god, what did I ever do to deserve a pregnant, unmarried, bounty hunter daughter."  
  
I could picture my mother making the sign of the cross.  
  
"Calm down mum, I'll figure something out. Um why did you call?"  
  
"I wanted to know if you were coming to dinner? Your eating for two now, you'll have to eat proper meals.  
  
I glanced down at my watch 5:00pm. I could ring Ranger and still make it for dinner, then go to Mary Lou's after dinner.  
  
"I have a few more calls to make, but I'll try to make it"  
  
"I'll set the table for you, see you at 6."  
  
I hung up, took a couple of deep breaths, and called Ranger  
  
"Yo"  
  
"It's Stephanie, I got your message"  
  
"Congratulations babe, Morelli must be happy"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The baby"  
  
"Right, sorry my mind's been working over time today. How do you know it's Joe's"  
  
"Can't be mine, a, we were protected, and um, I had a vasectomy, after my wife and I divorced. I thought I'd never meet anyone again, until you."  
  
My "oh" hung in the air for a while.  
  
"So, what are you going to do about Morelli?" Ranger asked  
  
"Dunno, it's really up to him now. He knows it's his, though whether he believed me, I have no idea."  
  
"Do you want me to beat some sense into him?"  
  
"As tempting as that may seen, I don't think that the cops will be very happy with you."  
  
"Been in bigger trouble before, with bigger people"  
  
"I have no doubt" I looked at my watch, "I've gotta go, my mother is expecting me for dinner"  
  
"Call me if you need me"  
  
" 'kay, bye" By this time I was talking to the dial tone.  
  
It took me 20 minutes to get to my parents house, on the way I thought about what job I could possibly get. Maybe Ranger could find me something.  
  
I pulled up to the curb outside my parents house, right behind a very familiar red Ducati.  
  
Shit, Morelli is such an arse, I don't hear from him all day, and then he shows up at my parents house expecting dinner. I pulled my phone out of my bag and dialed my parents house.  
  
"Hi mum, what's Joe doing here?"  
  
"Where are you, I heard sirens before, you haven't been in an accident?"  
  
"I'm outside and I'm fine, what's Morelli doing there?"  
  
"Your grandmother rang him, and told him to come over for dinner"  
  
"So he knows I'm expected for dinner?"  
  
"Yes, are you coming inside?"  
  
"Maybe, is he in a good mood?"  
  
"I'm not sure, he's watching the game with your father, so who knows."  
  
"He's what…" I shrieked  
  
"Watching the game with your father"  
  
"Does dad know I'm pregnant?"  
  
"I haven't told him, and I'm pretty sure Joe hasn't"  
  
In the background I heard grandma Mazur ask who was on the phone, but before I could tell mum not to answer she had told her it was me and I was outside. Then with horror I heard grandma tell relay what mum had told her. I then realize I had to get out of here, because Joe would be coming out any minute to talk to me.  
  
"Hey mum, listen I've gotta go, I'm suddenly not feeling very well. Speak to you soon."  
  
As mum tried to say something, I hung up the phone. I looked towards the front door, and Joe come running out, helmet on, ready to follow me, geeze he knew me to well. I started the Buick and pealed away from the curb, smoking tires and all.  
  
For the next 15 minutes all I did was drive around Trenton. I couldn't go home because I knew that Joe would be waiting for me, well at least I knew he couldn't get in, I hope he couldn't.  
  
My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I was starved. I turned around and pointed the Buick's nose towards my parents house.  
  
I pulled into the same space as earlier, relieved not to Morelli's Ducati any where. As I walked up the drive I could see mum and grandma standing in the door way.  
  
I heard grandma Mazur say "See I told you she would come back"  
  
"Can I still get something to eat? I'm starving!"  
  
Mum and grandma ushered me inside the house.  
  
Mum dished out a rather large plate of food for me, and while she was heating it up, I decided to go and talk to dad.  
  
"Hey dad, what's the score?"  
  
"Don't know, not really watching it"  
  
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
Dad looked at me, "Sure what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, I'm pregnant."  
  
"I know, Joe mentioned it earlier"  
  
"What??"  
  
"Joe mentioned it when he was here, guess he figured I knew"  
  
"Your not upset?"  
  
"No, I figured something was up, on account of the number of times the goddam phone has rung, oh, and this" he said, pointing to the paper lying in his lap. "I knew you'd tell me sooner or later. And besides, Joe's a good guy, better that that Latino, muscle bound bounty hunter you once bought around"  
  
If only he knew the full story.  
  
"Thank you dad" I said hugging him.  
  
After dinner I didn't really feel like driving home (or running into Joe) so I stayed the night at my parents.  
  
The next morning I put off leaving for as long as possible, the way I figured it, Joe had to go to work, and the later I left here, the less chance I had of seeing him.  
  
Around 10am I left my parents house, driving down the road I flipped on the radio to my favorite station 101.9 Trenton FM, I was in time to heard the daily quiz, which I was desperate to win, seeing how the prize was a trip for 2, to LA, with 2 adjoining rooms, and all expenses paid, and it was for 3 weeks. Man I really needed to win!! I need to get away.  
  
Turning up the radio, I was just in time to hear the question.  
  
"This is 101.9 Trenton FM. If you want to play our quiz today, be called number 20 right now"  
  
I pulled the Buick off to the side of the road, at the same time I dumped the contents of my bag onto the seat beside me. Picking up my phone from out of the mess I dialed the radio station. Damn engaged. I tried once more, it was ringing.  
  
"Hello, this is 101.9 Trenton FM, your caller number 20"  
  
"Ommigod, ommigod, really?"  
  
"Yes, what is your name please?"  
  
"Stephanie"  
  
"Ok, for your chance to win this wonderful trip to LA, all you need to do is answer these 5 questions about the music we play on this station. Are you ready?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Question 1, What country do Savage Garden come from?"  
  
"Australia"  
  
"Correct, question 2, what is the title of Matchbox 20's new album?"  
  
"Um, is it Mad Season?"  
  
"Another one correct, question 3, what is the latest single by band Blink 182?"  
  
"Adam's song"  
  
"Correct, question 4, name two bands that have a song on the M:I 2 sound track?"  
  
"Metallica and Limp Biscuit"  
  
"Correct, now all you have to do is answer this question correctly and you have won the trip to LA. Are you excited?"  
  
"You have no idea how much I need to get away"  
  
"Last question, according to our afternoon disk jockey, who of the new bread of young female singers is the biggest bitch?"  
  
I thought for a second, there were so many. "Its gotta be the one and only Brittany Spears"  
  
"Stephanie, your are correct, you have won the trip to LA!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Ommigod, ommigod, ommigod" I screamed down the phone.  
  
"Have you got anyone to take with you?"  
  
I thought about all the possibilities, Mary Lou, Lula, grandma, Sally, Connie, Briggs, Joe…  
  
"I think I'm gonna have people fighting with me to come"  
  
"Once more, congratulations, hang on the line and we'll get your details" 


	7. Chapter 7

Something Different  
  
Chapter 7  
  
This chapter could not have done with out the help of Cindy  
  
************************  
  
Six days later, and three days into my vacation, I was lying on the beach, in my new two-piece, soaking up the sun and scoping out the very fine scenery - I just love mirrored sunglasses!  
  
Even for the middle of January, the beach wasn't crowded at all, but there were still enough of butts to check out.  
  
I sat up and glanced at my watch, time to go and meet Mary Lou at the hotel. After a lot of thinking, I had invited Mary Lou to come with me. It's amazing how many of my "old" friends called to see if they could come. Even that bitch Joyce Barnhardt called. But in true form when I told her no, she hissed, called me a bitch and hung up on me. My mother even offered to pay me if I would take grandma. As tempting as it was (I still had to make rent), I said no. So in the end I reverted back to old faithful -- names in a bowl (only this time I didn't peek.)  
  
Getting back to the present, I stood up, collected my bag stuffing in my empty bag of baby snickers, half eaten bag of Cheese Doodles, jug of water, and towel. The apples I had thrown in before leaving the hotel were still there. So much for the fruit basket. I scanned the beach once more and noticed a very, very fine Italian man checking me out, from down the beach. I took a good look at him. He looked very familiar, kind of like Morelli, but then again this was LA, and I'd swear I'd seen him three times already -- along with two Mary Lou's and a couple of Lula's.  
  
To my surprise, he waved to me and gave me a huge smile. I in turn (just being polite) gave him my sexy smile, the one that set Joe off and racing!! I turned away and started the short walk back to my hotel room.  
  
Half an hour later I was back down stairs in the lobby waiting for Mary Lou to arrive. She hadn't been able to come with me to begin with because she hadn't been able to find a baby sitter for her kids. Imagine their father not wanting to take care of his own kids? Geeze you would of thought she was going to be gone for a month the way Lenny carried on. He claimed he didn't know how to change a diaper or mix a bottle of formula. Geese, the kids were 6 & 7 they potty by themselves and eat anything and everything not nailed down.  
  
After waiting around for about an hour, I decided that something must be wrong, so I went upstairs to call her.  
  
In my room I picked up my phone and started to dial her number. Just before I pressed send, there was a knock at my door. Expecting it to be Mary Lou, I threw open the door with an "It's about time, I was starting to get worried!" only to find Joe Morelli standing there.  
  
"Hey Cupcake, how are you?"  
  
I tried to shut the door, but Joe placed his foot in the jam.  
  
"Aren't you going to invite me in?"  
  
"No. What are you doing here?"  
  
"How often do you wave at strange men on the beach?"  
  
I gasped, "That was you??"  
  
"Yeah. And might I say you looked very cute."  
  
I wasn't trying to be cute. I was trying to look sexy as hell. I was trying to look unattached, relaxed, and thin. I know that's a little hard when you are licking the chocolate off the inside wrapper of a snickers bar, but I had been hungry. In fact, I was starving right now. But, whoa, hold everything, what is he doing here? As I thought back to the other days I had seen his look-a-like, I began to wonder, could that have been him all along? He had his hands in the pockets of his shorts and was rocking back on his heels. His eyes were pleading to be let in. "Okay, you'd better come in."  
  
He walked though the door and stopped to kiss me lightly on the lips. I felt my whole face go numb. "I guess we have a lot to talk about," he said as he settled himself into one of the standard hotel chairs.  
  
I took a good look at him, unshaven, hair in need of a cut, and a black eye. "How'd you get the black eye?"  
  
"Ranger came to see me the day after you left. We got into a fight, but then he explained something's about him, and you. He must have spoken to Mary Lou, too, because right after he left, she came over with the plane Ticket. She suggested -- no -- told me to come and see you. So I jumped the next plane, and here I am."  
  
"You've been here a few days?" I squeaked. "Staying next door? You creep! Here I have been worried about Mary Lou and you have been here all the time. Someone should have warned me!"  
  
With that I grabbed my phone and headed to the bathroom to called Mary Lou.  
  
"Hello, Mary Lou, it's Steph. Why didn't you tell me?!"  
  
"Hey Girl Friend, how's your holiday? How are you feeling? And what do you mean, tell you? Tell you what?" I could hear the innocents ringing in her voice.  
  
"Don't play stupid with me. Just take a wild guess who showed up at my door this afternoon. Why the hell didn't you tell me that's what you had done."  
  
"Stephanie, I know you. You are my best friend. If you had known, you would have gone somewhere else. You guys really, really need to talk! This isn't just about you and Joe anymore. This is bigger, much more important. And I know he was the one you really wanted to invite"  
  
I stayed quiet for awhile, "I guess you're right. I just wish I had a little bit more warning. This is such a shock."  
  
"Sorry, but it is for your own good. Trust me. So, how have you been? Feeling okay?"  
  
"Really, I'm having a great time. But, I've been sleeping a lot. And I am really hungry. I eat and eat and just when I think I'm full, I get these really weird cravings. Good thing this hotel has room service and this trip is all expenses paid."  
  
Mary Lou laughed. "I remember thinking that a can of that canned frosting looked really good! Have you been sick yet?"  
  
"Sick? You mean like throw up sick?"  
  
"Yeah, throw up sick. Should be hitting you anytime. Ooops, got to go, Lenny just showed up. Seen you soon. And talk to him! Bye."  
  
"Bye." Sick? Why would I get sick? I thought as I hung up the phone.  
  
I came out of the bathroom, and surprisingly Joe was still there.  
  
"I wasn't expecting you to still be here."  
  
"Where else have I got to go?"  
  
I shrugged. "Can ask you a few things?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You're staying next door right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Have you been following me around?"  
  
"Sometimes. But really I just wanted to make sure you where okay. You are carrying our child and if anything were to happen to either one of you, I don't know what I would do."  
  
I must have looked shocked. "What?" he asked, eyebrows squeezing together wondering what was going on inside my head.  
  
"That's the first time you have said "our child.""  
  
"I know. But you haven't given me much of a chance, have you? I know I was a bit of an ass, but after Ranger came to see me…"  
  
I could feel anger bubbling up inside of me. "You didn't believe me when I tell you you're the father, but when Ranger tells you you're the father you believe him?! Why? You don't even like him. And, why would I lie to you? What would that prove? I didn't have to tell you at all! But somewhere deep inside I thought you would care. That you would trust me enough to believe me. Geeze, Joe, why are you here?"  
  
"I know, I made a mistake, but I want to make it all up to you." I narrowed my eyes,  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Your pregnant, its my child, I want to marry you"  
  
"What??" I said, sitting down.  
  
"I want to marry you. It's not about you and me anymore. It's about this baby that living and growing inside you that we made together. I've told you before that I love you. And, I know, I've also told you that I didn't want to get married. But that was for a selfish reason. We cannot be selfish anymore. This child didn't ask to be conceived. He or she should have two parents. Two parents that love each other and the child they've created. I've loved you for a long time, and when you walked out the door seven days ago, I admit I was confused, stunned, and blindsided. I walked around in a daze all afternoon. Then when you took off at dinner from your parents, you took my heart with you. I thought you didn't want me. You didn't think I could be a father or a husband. Well, I'm here to tell you I can and I will be the best father I can, and a great husband if you'll just give me the chance. So, what do you say?"  
  
I sat there stunned. My jaw must have dropped down to my belly button because he reached over and closed my mouth with his fingers. Was this what I really wanted? Did it matter what I really wanted now? Okay, so, yes, it did matter what I wanted and it did matter what was the right thing to do. Besides, I deserved a Morelli-induced-orgasm every night for the rest of my life. But I had a nagging feeling in my head and in my tummy. "Why all of a sudden? Do you only want to marry me because I'm pregnant?"  
  
"No. I was planning to ask you the other night when I cooked you dinner, but Ranger interrupted. Then you kicked me out. I had been gone for a month and I missed you. You weren't there when I got home. The house was empty. I was empty. I needed more than a peanut butter and olive sandwich."  
  
I tried to think but a sudden wash of nausea came over me. My ears started to buzz, the room started to spin and I was getting really hot.  
  
"Steph, you don't look so good, is something wro….." I grabbed for the waste basket near the bed. It was further than I thought and I missed it but hit Morelli. He has snickers, cheese doodles and something else that I must have consumed earlier oozing out of between his toes. Joe grabbed the waste basket before I could heave again and went to get me a damp wash cloth. He came back with clean toes and whipped my face off.  
  
"Wow, that must have been what Mary Lou was talking about. I feel much better now." I looked up and Joe had a very concerned look on his face. "What, did you forget I'm pregnant. I guess you can get morning sickness in the afternoon too. Go figure."  
  
After thoroughly washing my face some more with cold water, I had time to think. I came back into the room. "About what you were saying earlier. If my memory serves me correctly, we have only been out on two dates. I don't marry anyone after just two dates. With Dickie it was four, and look how that turned out."  
  
Joe went quiet. "I'll be back in a minute." he said, leaving the room.  
  
Five minutes later my phone rang. "Hello?"  
  
"Cupcake?"  
  
"Yep" I said with a grin. What was he up to?  
  
"Do you have plans for tonight?"  
  
"Nope" I said with a bigger grin.  
  
"Would like to go out for dinner?"  
  
"Yep" I said with a smile. "That would be wonderful. I'm suddenly very hungry."  
  
He chuckled. "Good, I'll pick you up at 7pm, ok?"  
  
"See ya" I hung up. Wow, a real date with Joe. This could turn out interesting. I patted my tummy.  
  
Two hours later I was all dressed up and, waiting for Joe, eating an apple - I had finished the cheese doodles earlier. Promptly at 7pm he knocked on my door. "You look stunning" he said with a grin. His eyes brown and glowing. "You do have a little piece of apple stuck between your teeth."  
  
"Thanks a lot" as I dug out a piece of dental floss. "You don't look half bad yourself. Where are we going?"  
  
"That's a surprise." He took me by the arm, closed my door and guided me down the hall. Twenty minutes later, we where seated at a posh restaurant in Beverley Hills.  
  
"This is very nice, how did you get a booking?" I asked  
  
"Pulled a few strings, bribed a few people." I laughed, looking at him.  
  
"Ok, I already had the table booked"  
  
"That was very presumptuous of you, assuming I'd come out with you" He grinned and played with my fingers on top of the table. We spent the rest of the night enjoying each others company. I did manage to eat all the bread sticks -- So, I was hungry. At the end of the night, Joe simply kissed he on the lips and went to his room.  
  
Every night for the next week and a half, we went out together, and not once did he try to get in my pants, so to speak. This was totally out of character and I was beginning to think that something was wrong. Can you get erectile dysfunction in your thirties? It's not like he needed to make a run to the drug store or anything. Geeze, a girl could start to get a complex.  
  
On our second last night in LA, I invited him into my room after dinner. "What's going to happen when we go back to Trenton?" I asked Joe.  
  
Joe went silent, go up and went to the window. "I'm not sure, what do you want to happen?"  
  
"I want this to continue. Us being together" Joe came to where I was sitting on the bed, knelt down in front of me, put a hand on my stomach and said to my stomach "Hey there kiddo, do you think, that if I asked your mother to marry me this time, she'll say yes?" Joe looked up at me with those big brown eyes, and asked, "Will you marry me this time Steph?"  
  
I looked at him, tears welling up in my eyes and nodded yes, clearing my voice "Only if we can do it here. I don't want a huge wedding, just you and me." I thought for a second, "Oh and it can't be in Las Vegas."  
  
We sat and looked at each other when it looked like a light bulb had gone off in Joe's head. "I've got it! We are not that far from Lake Tahoe. We can leave in the morning and drive into Carson City to get our Marriage License. I have a friend in Carson City. John, John Lehuray. He is the Chef at the Nugget. He and his wife, Lynn, can be our witnesses." He was up pacing back and forth waving his arms around talking all the while. I was starting to feel just a bit dizzy.  
  
"Um, Joe, I, um, Joe?"  
  
He stopped pacing long enough to notice that I had turned green. Grabbing me up off the bed we flew to the bathroom where I promptly lost all those great bread sticks.  
  
I guess while I was cleaning myself up, Joe made a phone call. Yes, his friend John was in town. Yes, they would be glad to serve as witnesses, and they knew the perfect place: North Shore of Lake Tahoe, just outside of Incline Village. There was a park where this lady minister regularly performed weddings. With the weather as perfect as it had been today and predicted for tomorrow, seemed like a perfect plan. Joe told him we would check in at the Nugget as soon as we got to town.  
  
Joe was grinning from ear to ear, so very pleased with himself. I was feeling much, much better. I heard some of what he was saying as I looked around for my purse. Luckily I stuck the remaining two bread sticks into my purse before we left the restaurant. And, wow, a couple of baby Snickers I had missed earlier. I started eating one when Joe stopped talking, walked over and extracted the bread stick from my fingers. When I started to object, he silenced me with a kiss. Suddenly all my thoughts about premature erectile dysfunction vanished. In it's place all the sexual frustration and tension being held back from over the past week and a half came out and the room got very hot again. Only this time I didn't get sick. We proceeded to get all hot and steaming, with the need to lose some clothes.  
  
Joe held me tight and whispered in my ear, "Besides, if you don't marry me, who is going to teach our son how to shoot a gun, drive a car, and pick up chicks?"  
  
"Son? How do you know it's a boy? What happens if she's a girl?"  
  
"Well, if she's a girl I'll teach her out to shoot a gun and drive a car. And, I guess, we will have to buy another cookie jar." 


	8. Chapter 8

Something Different  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The next morning I woke up in the spooning position with my finance, god how weird does that sound. I'm engaged to Joseph Anthony Morelli. When we were younger, Mary Lou and I had joked about one day become Mrs. Joseph Morelli, but neither of us had ever dreamed that it would come true for the other.  
  
I was laying there enjoying Joe's warm breath tickling the back of my neck, when a wave a nausea washed over me. Throwing back the covers, I grabbed a shirt off the floor and bolted to the bathroom.  
  
5 minutes later I came out to find the bed empty and the door joining our rooms open.  
  
"Joe" I called out. Not receiving answer, I shrugged, wondering where he was, I started to pick up my clothes, which were strewn all over the room from last nights "activities". Finding a pair of shorts, I put them on.  
  
"You know, you looked really cute in my shirt. Until you put your shorts on" I heard from behind me. Spinning around, I stuck out my tongue, I was feeling rather immature this morning. I really must have looked good, because Joe had a rather impressive tent going in his boxers, but then again, that didn't take much.  
  
"Where did you go?" I asked  
  
"I heard you run to the bathroom and puke your guts out, and well, that made me feel about squeamish, so I went to the bathroom in my room, and puked as well."  
  
I grinned. "That's sweet Joe. You're having sympathy pains."  
  
He grimaced, and flopped down on the bed. He covered his eyes with his arm. I sat on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Ahh, poor baby. Anything I can do to make it better?"  
  
He lifted his arm and wiggled his eyebrows at me.  
  
I laughed, "In your dreams Morelli!" He made a face.  
  
"Well after I'd finished puking *my* guts out I went and got you this out of my bag." He said, holding out a small velvet box.  
  
"Want is it?" I asked  
  
"Open it and you'll find out" he said  
  
Slowly I lifted the lid, inside was a small diamond ring.  
  
"Joe it's beautiful, how could you afford this?"  
  
"It was my grandmothers, no not Bella," he said quickly, seeing the panic in my eyes, "my other grandmother, she gave it to me before she died" Joe took to box out of my hand and took the ring out of the box. Taking my left hand in his, he said "you realise now that there is no going back, this is forever"  
  
"I know, you can't get rid of me that easily" I replied.  
  
The ring slid on perfectly. I took a long look at it, it was a simple ring, silver with a small diamond in it.  
  
I kissed Joe "It's perfect"  
  
Joe kissed me back, and started to play with the button on my (his) shirt, within seconds the shirt was off and so were my shorts and Joe's boxers.  
  
3 (busy) hours later we were packing our bags for Incline Village.  
  
"How long are we going to stay in Incline Village?" I asked Joe  
  
"I thought we could stay there for a couple of weeks, instead of coming back here. Why?"  
  
"Well, the prize I won was for 3 weeks, so we still have another week here. And I was thinking, this chain of hotels is all over the US, so maybe they'll let us transfer the rest of this prize to another one of their hotels. It will be our honeymoon. It's either that or take a week or two to drive back to Trenton as our honeymoon. What do you think?"  
  
"I don't know, I think the idea of driving back to Trenton is rather appealing" Joe came up behind me, kissing the back of my neck. "Stopping when we want, taking as long as we want…"  
  
The idea appealed to me too. "But Joe, if we get a hotel room, we'll be comfortable and we'll only have to leave the room to go back to Trenton"  
  
"Convinced me", he said quickly, "Where do you want to go?" Joe asked  
  
"Where ever we can get" I replied  
  
"I've finished packing, so why don't I go down stairs to organise it, and you can finish packing, and I'll meet you down stairs in 20 minutes."  
  
"Okay"  
  
Kissing me once more as he left the room, he said "This is gonna be great"  
  
20 minutes later we were on our way to the airport to pick up our car.  
  
"Did the hotel organise a new room?" I asked  
  
"Yeah, the hotel in Philadelphia have the honeymoon suite free, so its ours for 2 weeks, plus the hotel is going to pay for our airline tickets from Reno to Philadelphia"  
  
"How'd you swing that?" I asked  
  
Joe gave me a "don't ask, don't tell" look. So I shut up.  
  
In hindsight, had I known that I would spend the next six hours throwing up everything I had eaten for my entire life, I probably would have asked Joe if we could fly to Reno, then drive to Carson City, but no, me being Little- Miss-Burg and all, didn't realise that we would have to travel over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and on top of that I have to pee every 1/2 an hour. The trip that we thought would be really romantic, was everything but.  
  
It was about 6pm when we finally go to Carson City and the Court House was closed for the night. Which meant that we couldn't get our license until the morning. Lake Tahoe would just have to wait until tomorrow, and to be honest, it didn't bother me one bit.  
  
We found the Nugget, and snagged the last room they had available. When we checked in, they gave us coupons for dinner at the all-you-can-eat buffet table, and a message that Joe's friend John wasn't working that night.  
  
Entering the room, we were disappointed to see it had 2 single beds, bolted to the floor.  
  
"We could always squeeze in together" Joe suggested  
  
"Or we could not, I'd kinda like to have a good nights sleep, after all today was rather tiring, and tomorrow will be another big day" I said kissing him lightly on the lips. "I'm going to have a shower. Why don't you ring your friend and tell him we're here, then you can organise things for tomorrow. After all you're organising this"  
  
Joe made a poutty face. "But I want to have a shower too, can't I have a shower with you?"  
  
"No" I said, trying to get some conviction behind it, especially when I thought of a wet, soapy and naked Joe Morelli... shit, I was going to have to have a cold shower.  
  
Joe grinned at me, hands in pockets, rocking back on his heels, like he knew exactly what I was thinking about. I hate it when he goes psychic on me.  
  
"I'll be out in a minute" I said as I walked into the bathroom. "You stay here, unless you want to risk the wrath of a naked, pregnant lady."  
  
I stripped off my clothes and turned the water on. I looked down at my stomach, I couldn't really tell if I was starting to get fat. I turned sideways and looked at myself again in the mirror. I was only 12 weeks pregnant, Mary Lou started to show between 10 and 13 weeks with her pregnancies. Oh, well, I guess only time will tell.  
  
After standing under the blasting water for a couple of minutes, I had just start to unwind, when I felt a cold breeze on my back and a second warm body joined me in the shower.  
  
"I thought I said no" I said trying to sound really angry, but it was rather difficult with a naked and wet Joe Morelli standing behind me.  
  
"Well, you didn't sound like you meant it, and its too late now, I'm all wet" he said between placing kisses on the back of my neck. He turned me around to face him and I took his hand and placed it on my stomach.  
  
"That's our baby in there Joe"  
  
"I know" he replied bending his head down to kiss my stomach and then my lips.  
  
A wet and soapy hour later we got out of the shower (only because we had run out of hot water) and got dressed. Snapping up my jeans, I noticed that for the first time in the pregnancy, the top snap of my jeans wouldn't do up. Oh shit, I'm fatter than I though. Thank god for elastic waste bands.  
  
"Hey Joe, do I look any fatter to you? I asked, coming out of the bathroom  
  
"No" said Joe, who was sitting on the bed, doing up his boots.  
  
"You didn't even look"  
  
"Didn't have to, I can see you up here anytime I want" he said, tapping his head  
  
"What that large, hollow thing on your shoulder, with the one track mind?"  
  
"Smart arse" he said finally looking up. "You look beautiful, you hungry?"  
  
I looked at him, "well, duh, lets see, I haven't eaten in a few hours, and I've thrown up everything I've ever eaten, plus, there was an hour of exercise just before"  
  
"Come on then, the buffet is only open for another 1/2 hour" he said grabbing my hand and he walked past me to the door.  
  
We walked the short distance to the dining room where the buffet was, in the parking lot, I saw a black SVU, hummmm.  
  
Joe doing the nice man polite thing, opened the door for me, I walked into the dinning room, this was not what I had been expecting. It kinda reminded me of the cafeteria in high school. You know, lots of people, cafeteria tables, fluorescent bright lights, cottage cheese, jello salad, fried chicken, prunes, really yellow mac and cheese, plus the added bonus of a Keno Runner ever 15 minutes. Truly very romantic.  
  
After I well and truly stuffed my face, making up for all the food I lost during the day, we made our way back to our room.  
  
Once back in the room, I had a queasy feeling again, dam, I've eaten too much. I headed off to the bathroom, much to Joe's disgust, I'm positive that he didn't want to hear me throwing up again.  
  
Closing the bathroom door, I noticed a radio in the corner, I flicked it on so Joe wouldn't have to hear me.  
  
15 minutes later I came out of the bathroom, to find Joe sitting up on his bed, leaning against the back board, asleep in front of the television, watching some strange sport. I think the commentators called it Aussie Rules, I don't know, two teams, one in brown and yellow the other in red and black. I stood there looking at the screen for a while, amazed at the number of hot guys were on the brown and yellow team, man I'm going to Australia one day.  
  
I turned down the sound on the TV, and grabbed the blanket from the end of Joe's bed to cover him with it. Was this what my life was going to be reduced to, waking in the middle of the night to find Joe asleep in front of the TV downstairs, and covering with a blanket, before going back to bed. I paused for a second, long enough for Joe to wake and pull me into him for a kiss.  
  
"Night cupcake" he said, trying undo my jeans.  
  
"Night Joe" I said trying to resist him. "No, not tonight Joe, I'm to tired, and so are you"  
  
"I'm not anymore"  
  
"I don't care, not tonight" I said kissing him one more time, before crawling into my pyjamas and my own bed.  
  
At about 1am that morning I woke up feeling lonely, I looked at Joe and wondered if he would mind if I got in with him, he'd probably take it as an invitation to sex. Deciding against it, I went back to sleep.  
  
I woke up with the sun streaming in though the curtains and the smell of doughnuts, I looked at the clock radio beside me, 9:00, time to get up. I looked around the room to find Joe gazing intently at me  
  
"Holy crap, Joe. How long have you been looking awake?"  
  
"Long enough. I called John, he and his wife will be here in 1/2 an hour. You and Lynn's are going shopping for a dress and John and I are going to take care of men's business, then your going to meet us in Incline Village, so your going to have to pack as well, we won't be coming back here.  
  
"Your giving me 1/2 and hour to dress and pack?"  
  
"Yep" he said chucking  
  
I reached behind me, grabbing the pillow and pitched across the room at him. Joe just laughed.  
  
I got out of bed, and went over to the mirror. Yuck, I though, I've looked better.  
  
I got some clothes out of my bags and went to have a shower. This time, I locked the door!!  
  
15 minutes later I was appropriately dressed, made up and hair done.  
  
I came out of the bathroom, to find Joe gone and a woman sitting at the table.  
  
"You must be Lynn" I said introducing myself "I'm Stephanie, I wasn't expecting you guys for a little longer"  
  
"Yeah I know, sorry. Though, it's nice to finally meet you. Joe had been telling John about you for months now, it nice to put a face to the name."  
  
I looked at her in shock, Joe had been talking about me?  
  
She must have seen the look a shock on my face, "Don't worry it was nothing bad. Lets get you packed, we only have 5 hours to get you packed dressed and to Incline Village, for the ceremony which is at 2:30."  
  
"Are we going to be shopping here, or at Incline Village?"  
  
"Here, they have better shops."  
  
"Have Joe and John gone to get the license?"  
  
"No, they can't, the two of you need to get it together."  
  
"Shit, I'll go call Joe"  
  
10 minutes later Joe and I were waiting in line ten deep at the court house, in the basement no less.  
  
"I can't believe we nearly forgot to pick up the license" I said hugging Joe. "We might have had to wait another day and night for our wedding night."  
  
"We still might, the minister is expecting us in 3 hours, where not going to make it today."  
  
"I suppose that's ok, I was getting excited" I said. Whispering in his ear "I was starting to think about things to do on our wedding night, including what I would wear. I saw a Victoria's Secret on the way here" I felt Joe stiffen in my arms, ha I knew that would get him.  
  
"Maybe you could buy several, and show me tonight?"  
  
"Nah, I think I'll make you wait until tomorrow night."  
  
"That's teasing"  
  
"I know" I said  
  
1/2 an hour later we had our license, and were out the front with John and Lynn, I looked around, I don't know why, but I had the feeling that someone was watching me. Then I saw a black SUV, could it be the same one?  
  
"Steph, Steph, you ok?" asked Joe  
  
"Yeah" I said shacking my head "I'm fine" I felt Joe's arm tighten about me. God this felt so natural.  
  
"So what are you two going to do now?" asked John  
  
I looked at Joe "You're the ideas man"  
  
"Well, we could all drive up to Incline Village today, that way were already there, and Steph and I can get married tomorrow."  
  
"Sounds like a plan, why don't Steph and I meet you two up there later, we've got some shopping to do" suggested Lynn.  
  
"I like that idea" I said  
  
"Ok, meet you guys at the Nugget in 20 minutes" Joe said  
  
30 minutes later I was still in our room waiting for Lynn. Joe and John had left 10 minutes later, John telling me that Lynn was still at home packing her bags, and she would be around soon.  
  
I was sitting on the sofa, when I heard a knock at the door, I went over and threw it open.  
  
"I thought you would never arrive…" I said, before I noticed who was at the door.  
  
Ranger. 


	9. chapter 9

Something Different  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"What? What are you doing here? Why? Wha what…."  
  
"We need to talk." He brushed past me into the room, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My heart was racing and a rush of adrenaline ran through my chest. I shut the door and followed him into the room.  
  
"What are you doing here?" I asked again sitting down on the sofa. Standing by the window with his back to me, I was struck by the oddness in his stature. Normally he gives off a strong, 'in-control' stance. Today, now, he was smaller, more vulnerable. "Ranger, what's wrong?" This time my voice was softer, higher. I was beginning to worry about his message. What could have brought him all the way out here?  
  
As if reading my mind, he spoke "I tried your hotel in California first. They told me you had checked out two days ago. Didn't take me long to figure out who was with you and what was going on. I had to talk to you before it was too late."  
  
"Too late? Too late for what?" His back was still facing me. I couldn't read his face. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, what was going on?  
  
"My feelings for you are very strong. I have to know, are you marrying Joe because you love him or because he might be the father of your baby?" he said, turning to face me.  
  
Big light bulb went off at the word might. "What do you mean 'might'? You told me you were clipped and snipped in the Army. Are you changing your story now?"  
  
"No. I was. But after talking to you, and Joe, and the possibility of loosing you, I had to know for sure. So, I went to my doctor and checked. I'm sorry Stephanie," he then turned to look at me. "But there is a 75% chance that I can father a child. Your child."  
  
With that he handed me a piece of paper that must have been folded and refolded a whole bunch of times. I was floored. Literally. My head started to spin, an instant wave of heat then cold rushed through my body. Little black dots started to dance in front of my eyes. Nausea was forcing its way up from my toes.  
  
"I need air, NOW!" I raced to the window but only made it as far as the wastebasket before loosing everything left in my stomach.  
  
Ranger helped me back to my chair and handed me a cold washcloth for my face. He also handed me a couple of soda crackers.  
  
"What are these for?" I asked, looking at the crackers in my hand. I turned them over looking for something other than salt. Sugar. Frosting.  
  
"They'll help settle your stomach. By the looks of it" his eyes drifting to the wastebasket then back to me "and the color of your skin, you have been eating a lot of junk food and not keeping much down. You are headed for dehydration if you don't start taking care of yourself and eating better."  
  
"and, your point is?"  
  
"Hospitalization, IV's, possible miscarriage."  
  
The crackers tasted like sawdust, but quickly took away the nausea and hunger pains. Well, some of the growing hunger pains.  
  
"Points well taken and understood." We sat there for a few minutes in silence soaking in the new information.  
  
"Why did you come here? Did you just feel the need to mess with my mind? Why, if you had these strong feelings, didn't you come forward sooner or tell me it didn't matter who the father way? Why hours before I'm to be married did you decide to fuck with me?"  
  
"Because I didn't know where you were, and I didn't think it would matter. But when I found out about my sperm count, and about Joe being 'Out of Town' I tracked you down. I had to know if you really loved him or if this was just because you were pregnant. I married my wife for the same reason. I thought we loved each other. But it was just a love we chose to live with for a few years, not one we both lived for. I didn't want you to make the same mistake. and, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you go without telling you how much I care about you. Whether or not this child is mine or Morelli's. What would Joe do if you told him?"  
  
"Tell me what?".  
  
Ranger and I looked up to see Joe standing over us. Oh great, Joe is here. We hadn't heard him come in. The crackers were working because I WANTED to leave the room, hoping to heave again.  
  
"Ah, Joe, what are you doing here, I thought you and John had already left?"  
  
"I thought I had forgotten something, good thing I came back"  
  
"Yeah, Joe, um, Ranger has some news for us that may change how you feel about us, or me in particular."  
  
"'Oh, really? and what might that be? Uh oh, his arms were crossed and he had a strained look on his face. I sat back in the couch with my head laying back looking up at the ceiling. Why me? Why me? and things were going so good.  
  
I must have been mumbling to myself, because when I sat up straight they were both looking at me "what?"  
  
"Well, are you going to tell him or do I need to?" Ranger asked.  
  
"No, I'll tell him. Why don't you go on down the hall. I'll, um, be down in a few minutes. Okay?"  
  
Ranger got up, looked at me and then at Joe, nodded, and went out the door. As soon as it shut, Joe let out a deep breath. "What in the hell is he doing here? Steph are you going to tell me? Geeze what is that horrid smell?!"  
  
"Oh, yeah, I threw up again in the waste basket when Ranger was here. I forgot to clean it up. I have to get a supply of these soda crackers because they really settled my stomach. I'll go clean this up and be right back."  
  
Joe grabbed my wrist. "No. Tell me what he said. That can wait. Tell me why he is here. Now."  
  
"Maybe you need to sit down." I paused "Do you remember when Ranger came over and told you that he couldn't be the father? Well, I guess he had more feelings for me than he wanted to admit and when he found out you were with me, he was afraid that you were only marrying me because of the baby."  
  
"So, what business is it of his? As far as I'm concerned this is between you and me."  
  
"What if this baby isn't yours?" Silence, not good. "That's why he's here. His clip and snip wasn't complete and there's a 75% chance he could father a child. This child. Does that change anything about the way your feel? Feel towards me and this child right now or in the future? Because if there is any doubt, any doubt at all about how you will feel, then we need to stop right now. I don't want you to marry me because you really feel like you have to, especially if you have any anger, doubt or fears." More silence. Great. "I'm going to go for a walk right now, probably to the grocery store for soda crackers and a beer." Yeah, a big cold strong beer. "So, you just use this time to think this through."  
  
I got up and walked out of the room, grabbing my bag on the way. What was going on? Why did Ranger have to show up and why did he have to ruin everything when it was all so simple, cut and dry, clean. Now it was all in turmoil. Okay, so we just have another player in the picture, again. But it's still me and the baby. I don't have to get married. If Joe can't or will not be able to handle this, then fine. That's his choice. But what abut my choice. Who do I really want to grow old with, brush my teeth with, argue with over who gets up in the middle of the night, or who drives carpool? I know I could live with either man. But which one could I live without?  
  
I walked down the hall looking for Ranger, actually I was hoping to avoid him. What I really needed was Mary Lou.  
  
Pulling out my phone, I dialed her number.  
  
"Hello"  
  
"Mary Lou?"  
  
"Steph is that you? You sound so far way"  
  
"Yeah it me, I'm in Carson City. How are you?"  
  
"Carson City? What are you doing there? and where have you been, I haven't heard from you in two weeks"  
  
"I'm in Carson City, because Joe asked mw to marry him"  
  
"OHMYGOD, YOUR MARRYING JOE MORELLI" she screeched  
  
"Well, I was…"  
  
"What do you mean where?"  
  
"Ranger just showed up"  
  
"What" she screeched again. I was going to have to hold the phone away from my ears.  
  
"Ranger showed up" I repeated  
  
"What does he want?"  
  
"To tell me there is still 75% chance of him having children, a chance he's the father of my child."  
  
"But, I thought he had the snip?"  
  
"He did, but he went to the doctors, just after he found out I was pregnant, and apparently it wasn't a complete success"  
  
"I thought you used condoms?"  
  
"We did, but so did Joe and I, you know that story. All I know is, this child was not conceived via immaculate conception."  
  
"What are you going to do?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
"I know I have asked you this before, but who do you think is the father?"  
  
"I always said it was Joe's, even before I knew about Ranger's vasectomy. I still believe this child is Joe's"  
  
"Do you love Ranger?"  
  
"Do I love Ranger?" I thought for a minute "I don't know, I have feelings for him, but I don't think I love him anymore than a friend."  
  
"and Joe?"  
  
"I think, no I know, I love Joe, I have since I was six" I felt tears welling up in my eyes "and now… What am I going to do?"  
  
"Do you want me to come?"  
  
"I don't know, I think I need to have you here."  
  
"I'll see what I can do, I'll call you later, ok Steph?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks Mary Lou"  
  
"Hey Steph?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Take care ok?"  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"Bye"  
  
Going down the stairs, I spotted Ranger's SUV, it was the same one I had seen earlier.  
  
Turning around, I went to the reception and asked the attendant if there was a back door I could go out, the attendant explained that the door lead to an ally beside the hotel, and pointed me in the direction of the door.  
  
I should have realized that Ranger would have known about the door, and he would expect me to use it, after I had seen his SUV, because as soon as I heard the door click shut behind me, he tapped me on the shoulder.  
  
"Hey babe?"  
  
I must have jumped a mile. "Jesus, I hate when people sneak up on me, what do you want?"  
  
"To see how you are"  
  
"How I am?" I asked. "You show up on my wedding day, and drop a bomb shell, and you what to know how I'm feeling? Gee let me see, it all started with a black dress and a phone call. I have great night with Joe, he gets called away on a job, I'm ok with this, and then you call, this is where things get complicated. Joe finds out that I've gone to Atlantic City with you, except he doesn't know it's only a job, anyway, he sleeps with Terri fucking Gilman. In the mean time Mary Lou has rung me and tells me she saw Joe kissing Terri. I'm of course pissed, so I sleep with you while we're in Atlantic City." I pause to catch my breath, glancing at Ranger, his face was unreadable. Boy you have no idea how cathartic this is. "Fast forward two and a half months" I continued "I'm pregnant and the father could be either you or Joe, except I know who the father is. But I need to tell you both what's going on, but neither of you are even in Trenton, your god knows where. Lula and Connie guess that I'm pregnant, and later that night I find Joe in my apartment, we talk and decide to forgive each other and perhaps get back together, who knows, because next thing I know your in my kitchen. I should have told you both then, but you and Joe got into a fight, and I threaten to shot your nuts off. The next morning the whole of Trenton knows, so I do the right thing and go over to Joe's to tell him that HE'S the father of my child, but he doesn't quite believe me. Later that day, I find out you've had a vasectomy, and then I run away from Joe when he's at my parents house. The next day I win a trip to LA, and take it as an omen, that I'm supposed to go and let Joe figure things out for himself. I'm supposed to meet Mary Lou a few days after I arrive, but what I don't know is you've gone to see Joe and told him you've had the clip and snip, and then you get Mary Lou to give him her ticket. To cut the rest of this long story short, he proposed to me, I said yes, and now we're here and the rest is bloody history. So that's how I fucking am." and with that I burst into tears. God damn hormones.  
  
Ranger pulled me into his arms. Standing like that for a minute, he lifted my head with his fingers and bought his lips down on mine, I knew it was wrong and I tried to resist him, pushing away from him, my hands flat on his chest. He felt firm and muscular.  
  
Oh boy this was sooooo wrong, I'm engaged to Joe.  
  
Hearing a noise, I broke way, and looked around, Joe staring at us from the street.  
  
"Joe…" I started to say 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
"Joe, wait I can explain" I said pulling myself away from Ranger.  
  
Unfortunately Joe wasn't waiting around for an explanation, he turned around & walked away.  
  
"Joe, come back, I can explain" I yelled running after him, but by the time I reached the street, he had vanished.  
  
"Shit, god damn it" I said to myself stomping my feet on the ground.  
  
"Babe?"  
  
"What?" I yelled. I shook my head, & looked up at Ranger, "Sorry, I'm just confused."  
  
"You know your not the only one with a screwed up life"  
  
I looked at him dumbfounded "Huh?"  
  
"I had the perfect life, up until I meet you. Ever since I meet you, you're the only thing I can think of." He said calmly. "I told you how I feel about you, but the question now, is how do you feel about me?" He was a lot calmer than earlier this morning.  
  
I thought for a minute, thinking back to my conversation with Mary Lou.  
  
"I have feelings for you, but I don't think I love you anymore than a friend. I certainly don't want this the ruin our friendship." I said  
  
Looking at me with hurt in his eyes, he said "I'm not sure what this is going to mean for our friendship, you have hurt me. Plus I still may be the father of your child"  
  
"No" I said with conviction. "Joe is the father of my child. I always said he was, even before I found out about your vasectomy. Don't you remember what happened that night in Atlantic City? We were protected."  
  
He looked at me, appeared lost for words, & shook his head. I took that as my cue, & walked away.  
  
***  
  
I spent the rest of the day looking for Joe, at 12:30 I rang the minister & told her that we wouldn't make it up there to day, & we didn't know when we would make it. Then she shocked me.  
  
"Your fiancée, already called me"  
  
"Huh, what did you say?"  
  
"Joe has already called me" she repeated "He rang me about ½ an hour ago & told me that you couldn't make it up here today, & that he wasn't sure if you would make it. He didn't sound like the same man I had spoken to already this morning."  
  
"Excuse me? You spoke to him earlier?"  
  
"Yes, he rang me about 9am this morning to confirm, it was odd, because I had to remind him several times what time the ceremony was for."  
  
I thought for a second "Did you mention the first call to Joe when he called the second time?"  
  
"Yes, I think so, why?"  
  
"Because the first caller wasn't Joe"  
  
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I hope I haven't messed things up for you"  
  
"No, I did that myself"  
  
"Did you say something?"  
  
"No, sorry, I was talking to myself, thanks for your help. Sorry about this."  
  
"Don't worry dear, it happens a lot. Bye"  
  
"Bye"  
  
As I hung up the phone, I thought, Ranger must have been the one who called, but how would he have known where to call? Jesus. H. Christ. Ranger must have had it planned like this all along, he must have found out about the ceremony, & that's why he was so, unlike Ranger this morning. What the hell am I going to do.  
  
I decided to walk back to the hotel & wait for Joe, either that or pack my bag & find a new hotel. Not really like either idea a great deal, I took the long way, though the park, back to the hotel.  
  
I sat down on a bench in the park, just in front of a playground, I watched the mothers play with their children. Resting my had hand on my stomach, I said "looks like its just you & me now kid"  
  
½ an hour later I was still sitting there, when a young woman, about 19, sat down next to me, double pram in tow.  
  
"Hi, I'm Kellie" she said introducing herself  
  
"I'm Stephanie" I replied  
  
"Your not from around here are you?" she asked  
  
"No, I'm from Trenton, New Jersey. How's you guess?"  
  
"Your accent" she paused "How far along are you?"  
  
"Huh?" I asked  
  
"You pregnant right, how far are you?"  
  
"Oh, um, 12 weeks. How did you know?"  
  
"When you've been pregnant, you can guess the signs, & I heard you before, when I walked past."  
  
"Oh"  
  
"You'll have to excuse me if I seem nosy, but I don't get much adult interaction, these two keep me really busy" she said pointing to the pram.  
  
"Two, as in twins?"  
  
"Yep" she said proudly "Twin girls, would you like to have a look?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
I looked in the pram, at the two little girls, they were so cute & so small.  
  
"What are their names?" I asked  
  
"Alison & Melanie"  
  
"How old are they?"  
  
"About 3 weeks" she replied. "Are you married?"  
  
"No engaged" I said showing her my ring. "Are you married?"  
  
Nah, my boyfriend ran out on me 4 weeks before the girls were born, but I have my family."  
  
"I'm sorry. Can I ask you how old you are?" I asked  
  
"Sure, I'm 19, 20 in January"  
  
'Wow, your so young, are you handling everything? I'm 30, & I'm not sure if I can handle everything"  
  
"I have my family, & you have a fiancée, you'll do fine"  
  
"I'm not so sure about the fiancée" I mumbled  
  
"What?" Kellie asked  
  
"There's kinda a third party involved. I have no idea where my fiancée is."  
  
"Oh, did he cheat on you?"  
  
"No, he, um, saw me kissing another man."  
  
"Really" Kellie sounded really intrigued.  
  
"Yeah, it's kinda a long story" I said  
  
"Well, I'm not going anywhere, you can tell me if you want, for an outsiders view"  
  
I thought for a second. It might be worth getting an outsiders view. I turned back to Kellie & started to tell her the entire story from black dress to the Ranger kiss & Joe seeing it.  
  
When I finished , Kellie looked like she was still digesting the story. We sat in silence for a while.  
  
"What does your fiancée look like?" she suddenly asked me.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"There's a guy standing over there, who's been trying to get your attention for the past 15 minutes"  
  
I looked up, not sure who to expect or who I wanted it to be. But it was neither.  
  
"Oh, that's just Tank, he works for Ranger. I'll be back in a minute" I said getting up.  
  
Walking across the park, I called out, "Hey Tank, what are you doing here?"  
  
Tank waited until I was closer before replying.  
  
"Ranger wanted me to tell you that he was going back to Trenton."  
  
"Oh, why didn't he tell me himself?"  
  
"Dunno, guess he thought you wanted some space" he replied  
  
"Did he tell you anything?"  
  
"Come on, you know Ranger, he plays his card pretty close to his chest. I know is that he has been acting strange for a while now, ever since you told him you were pregnant & he found out that he could still have children."  
  
I filled Tank in on the rest of the story.  
  
"Wow" he said, whistling. "That's some story"  
  
"What do you think I should do?"  
  
"Can't tell you that Steph, only you know what to do"  
  
I looked at him, "Thanks Tank"  
  
With a knowing smile he said "That's ok"  
  
He hugged me before he left, whispering in my ear "good luck"  
  
Walking back over to Kellie, she asked "What did he want?"  
  
"Not much, just to tell me Ranger was going back to Trenton"  
  
"So, what are you going to do now?" Kellie asked.  
  
"I don't know, go back to Trenton, find Joe & try to explain, see if I can salvage some sort of relationship." I got up "Thanks for your help" I said. I scribbled my number down on a piece of paper. "This is my number, if your ever in Trenton, give me a call"  
  
"Your welcome, & thanks I'll do that. Here's my number" she said giving me her card "Call me & let me know what's going on, ok?"  
  
"Yeah, ok, bye"  
  
"Bye"  
  
10 minutes later, I was at the hotel, I went to the reception t ask for another room, but the attendant told me that Joe had checked out & let me a note. He handed it to me, & I took a seat in the lobby, & read it.  
  
"Steph,  
  
When I saw you kissing Ranger, I didn't know what to think. It was like when I found out you gone away with Ranger or when you ran out on me, when I was at your parents. I've decided to go back to Trenton to sort some stuff out.  
  
Don't ever doubt this, I still love you.  
  
Joe  
  
I thanked the desk attendant, got a key off him & went to the room.  
  
Opening the door, I noticed how bare the room looked, my bags were still at the door from this morning, I can't believe this all happened in one day, I thought to myself.  
  
I looked at my watch, 4pm, still 2 hours until the buffet opened.  
  
A wave of exhaustion washed over me, I decided to take a nap. Laying down on the bed that Joe had used last night, I fell asleep with his scent surrounding me.  
  
The next morning, I was woken to knocking at the door. Bleary eyed I wondered over to the door, & pulled it open.  
  
"Yo, girlfriend" 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Standing in the doorway was Lula and Mary Lou.  
  
Astonished, I stood there staring at them.  
  
"Well, aren't you gonna let us in?" asked Lula.  
  
I stepped aside to let them in.  
  
Finally I managed to ask them what they were doing here.  
  
They looked at each other and Mary Lou spoke up. "Well, after I spoke to you, I rang the office and asked Lula if she knew were you where staying, after I she told me that she didn't I asked her if she wanted to come with me, and of course, she jumped at the chance. I also filled her in on the story, I hope you don't mind" Mary Lou looked at me, I shook my head, well at least I wouldn't have to repeat that part of the story again. "Anyway" Mary Lou continued "just before we got on the plane for Reno, my cell phone rang, did I tell you I got a cell phone, Lenny bought it for me, so he could ring me if the kids became any trouble" she glanced at me, "oh, like I said, my cell phone rang, it was Joe, he'd got the number from Lenny, anyway he wanted to know if I was coming to see you, apparently he overheard the end of our phone call, when you said that you think you needed me there, anyway, I got the feeling that something was up, so we got here as fast as we could, Lula drove" I nodded, I knew how fast Lula could drive.  
  
"And, that's not all" Lula said. "About 1/2 an hour after we landed in Reno, I got a call from Ranger, with almost the same message, except he rang the office first and Connie told him that we were on our way here, Connie was pretty pissed that she couldn't come, but you know that slime ball Vinnie wouldn't let both of us go at the same time."  
  
We sat in silence for a while. Mary Lou was the first to speak up. "Steph, what happened? When I spoke to you this morning, both Joe and Ranger where here, but now both of them are on there way back to Trenton, and your still here"  
  
I started to fill them in on the rest of the story, from the kiss to Joe's note, their faces went from blank to mouths open, jaws on the ground.  
  
When I finished story telling hour, Lula was the first to speak up, "Dang girl, watcha gonna do?"  
  
"I honestly don't know, I can either go back to Trenton and face then both, or I can still go to Philli, like Joe and I planned"  
  
"You and Joe were going to Philli?" Mary Lou asked  
  
"Yeah"  
  
Isn't that where you went with the horses arse?"  
  
I thought for a minute, "Shit, yeah, our crappy honeymoon"  
  
"Do you think someone trying to tell you something?" Lula asked  
  
"Like what, that I shouldn't honeymoon in Philli?"  
  
"Or that Joe's not right for you?" Lula said  
  
"Don't say that, Steph and Joe are meant to be" argued Mary Lou. "It was foreseen by Grandma Bella"  
  
I sat on the bed, listening to then argue about who I was meant to be with. Then I passed out.  
  
******  
  
When I woke up I was in a hospital bed with an IV drip in my arm. I opened my eyes and glanced around the room.  
  
On my left was Mary Lou, asleep in the chair beside me, looking to my right, Lula was flicking though a magazine.  
  
"Lula?" I croaked  
  
"Shit, Steph, you're awake. Mary Lou wake up, she's awake"  
  
Mary Lou slowly opened her eyes. "God, Steph, you have no idea how worried we were"  
  
"Wh, what happened?"  
  
"Do you remember, you passed out while we were arguing"  
  
I thought for a second, "Oh, um, can I get a drink?"  
  
Wordlessly Lula handed me a glass filled with water.  
  
"What day is it?" I asked, handing the glass back to Lula  
  
"Friday 4th Feb, you've been out cold for 2 days" Mary Lou replied, "hey Lula, why don't you go and find a doctor, I need to talk to Steph"  
  
"Sure, don't go anywhere"  
  
When Lula left the room, Mary Lou said "You have no idea how worried I was, we just couldn't wake you up." I could see tears welling up in her eyes. "Hell, I promised myself I wouldn't cry" She took a moment to compose herself. "I rang your parents" Mental grimace, "Your mother wanted to come down here to look after you, but I told her that we were you, and that if anything happened, we would ring her straight away. I also rang Joe, now don't get angry, he needed to know"  
  
"I didn't lose my baby did I?" I asked  
  
"No, you were lucky, you should really talk to the doctor about this"  
  
"Did you speak to Joe?"  
  
"No, he wasn't home."  
  
We just sat in silence until Lula came back with the doctor.  
  
"Hello Stephanie, I'm Doctor Rogers, but you can call me Doctor Tim. I treated you when the ambulance bought you in."  
  
"Um, Lula, I think we'd better leave them alone" Mary Lou said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
I looked over at her and glared  
  
"Okay" she said, leaving the room with Mary Lou in toe.  
  
"So Doc, what's up?" I asked  
  
"Well, you passed out from dehydration and starvation, and you almost lost your child" Doctor Tim stated straight to the point.  
  
I looked at him in shock, finally finding my voice, I asked "Will we be ok?"  
  
"After a lot of rest, and we get some fluids into you, you should be fine. When was the last time you ate a full meal?"  
  
I thought back, it was the night Joe and I arrived in Carson City. "Tuesday"  
  
"You've been here for two days, which means before that, you hadn't eaten for 2 days, which isn't good. You've only just reached the end of your first trimester, which does mean that the chance of miscarriage is slightly less, but only if you look after yourself properly. You need to get plenty of iron in your diet, and you have to look at your diet, make sure your eating all the right things, you also need to exercise. Do you smoke?"  
  
I shook my head no.  
  
"Good. When do you have an appointment with your doctor?" Doctor Tim asked.  
  
"I haven't made one"  
  
"Well, usually by now, pregnant women have had a doctors appointment, just to check things, so I suggest that the moment you get back to Trenton, you make an appointment with your doctor."  
  
"How long will I have to stay here?"  
  
"All going well, we should check you out on Sunday morning. Any more questions?"  
  
I shook my head no, and Doctor Tim left.  
  
Ten minutes later Lula popped her head in though the door. "Is the coast clear?" she asked  
  
"Sure, Doctor Tim left 10 minutes ago"  
  
"So, what's the prognosis?"  
  
"We're going to be fine, provided I look after myself. Where's Mary Lou?" I asked.  
  
"Talking to your mother, well, she called Supercop first and got his answering machine again, then she called your mother. I don't think she'll be back for a while"  
  
"Oh"  
  
"Now, I did something productive, I called Connie and gave her an update, then I called Batman, and let his answering machine know what was going on."  
  
"You did what? And how with you get Batm, I mean Ranger's phone number?"  
  
"I swiped it from your cell phone months ago, and I called Batman, because he needed to know"  
  
"So, how's Connie?" I asked  
  
Lula spent the next 30 minutes filling me in on all the dirt that I had missed while I was away, from Joyce being arrested, and the fact the Lula got to go after her, that got a smile from me, especially when Lula told me how she sat on her. She also filled me in on the lasted gossip surrounding me. Some of which was very funny, other wasn't. Apparently the entire burg knew that Joe was with me, but that was old news. Lula told me that Connie had told her Joe had arrived home really late on Thursday night, and hadn't left his house since. He wasn't opening the door or answering the phone to anyway including his mother or grandma Bella. This had me a little worried.  
  
Mary Lou came back later and filled me in on her conversation with my parents. Apparently dad was really upset, which was odd, but comforting all the same. Grandma wanted to know if she should go around to Joe's and shoot out his tires.  
  
I spent the next two days resting in bed, bored out of my mind. Doctor Tim had confiscated my cell phone, so I couldn't call my mother, which was a blessing in disguise. But it also meant that I wouldn't know if Joe or Ranger had called. But I was sure that Mary Lou and Lula would tell me. They didn't visit me much over those two days, once I had woken up, they had found something else to do, what it was I didn't know.  
  
I was laying in bed waiting for Doctor Tim to come and discharge when there was a knock at the door, and John and Lynn Lehuray popped their head in.  
  
"Hey guys, come in"  
  
"Are you sure?" Lynn asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm just waiting for the doctor to come in and discharge me. How did you find out I was here?"  
  
"Joe rang us, and told us you were here…" John replied.  
  
"Did he ask you to visit me?" I asked  
  
"Well, not in some many words, but he really, really sounded stressed. What happened between you two? The last time we saw you, you had just gotten your license and we were all getting ready to go to Incline Village."  
  
I proceeded to tell them what had happened. A little over 20 minutes later they were up-to-date on the Steph and Joe story.  
  
"What are you going to do?" asked Lynn.  
  
"Dunno, go home I guess, try and patch things up. Or I'm going to go to Philli for a while."  
  
John and Lynn stayed for another 10 min, until Doctor Tim came in with my discharge papers.  
  
Saying goodbye to John and Lynn, I tuned to Doctor Tim and asked "Can I go home now?"  
  
"Yes you can and I have called your friends, they are on their way in. I just have a few things to talk to you about. Do you remember all the things we talked about?"  
  
I nodded "Yes"  
  
"Good, because it's really important. Ok, don't forget to make an appointment with your doctor when you get home. When your friends get here, I'll send a nurse with your final papers and a wheelchair."  
  
"Bye Doctor Tim, its been real, and don't take this the wrong way, but I hope I never have to see you again."  
  
Doctor Tim laughed. "I hope I never have to see you again either" He waved as he left the room.  
  
5 minutes later Mary Lou arrived with some clothes, thank god, because I had looked around my room and hadn't seen the clothes I had been bought in wearing.  
  
Taking the clothes from Mary Lou, I got changed and told he about my visit from John and Lynn Lehuray and Doctor Tim.  
  
"So what are you going to do?" Mary Lou asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, I guess check out and go back to the hotel, stay there for a few days, then go home"  
  
"That's not what I meant"  
  
"I know, but…"  
  
"But what? Make a decision Steph, it's either Joe or Ranger, and I think that you know who you want to be with, you just have to admit it to yourself"  
  
"Your right, I do know which one I want." 


	12. Chapter 12

Something Different  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"So, who is it?" she asked.  
  
"If I told you, I would have to kill you" I replied laughing.  
  
"Seriously Steph, who have you chosen?  
  
I stared down at my hands before answering. Something was missing.  
  
"Mary Lou, have you seen my ring?" I asked  
  
She looked at me "Huh?"  
  
"My engagement ring, where is it?"  
  
"Oh, in the top drawer beside you. We thought it would be safer in there"  
  
I breathed a sigh of relief. "For a minute there, I thought I had lost it" I said opening the drawer and pulling it out. I slipped it back on my finger.  
  
"Hang on, does this mean…"  
  
"Yeah, who the hell was I trying to kid, he's the only one whose told me he loves me, and that I've said it back. I guess its Burg fate or something"  
  
Mary Lou squealed with happiness, until the nurse came and told us to quiet down.  
  
"Steph, don't get upset or anything, but what if he's not the father? Joe forgiving and all, after all he forgave you for sleeping with Ranger, I think he's forgive you for kissing Ranger on your wedding day, but I don't think that he's ready to raise another man's child"  
  
"Well, that was the other thing I was thinking about. I was reading a hospital magazine, and read something about paternity testing. I meant to ask Doctor Tim about it earlier."  
  
*******  
  
"Doctor Tim, Doctor Tim, can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
"Yes, Stephanie, what is it?"  
  
"I was wondering, could you please tell me about paternity testing?"  
  
"Sure, well there is two types, one is normal DNA testing, done after the child is born, and the other is Pre-natal Paternity Testing, while the fetus is still in the womb" he went of the explain exactly what was done in each procedure. "Why is it that you ask?"  
  
"Well there's a possibility that my fiancée is not the father of my baby" I went on the explain about my night with Joe, then my night with Ranger, followed by his vasectomy revelation.  
  
"I really don't think you need to worry about paternity testing, you said that you and Ranger used condoms right?"  
  
I nodded yes  
  
Well, condoms are 97% effective, I'd say with 97% certainty, that your fiancée is the father of your child, since you didn't use any protection."  
  
"Yes, that's was I thought all along. Thank you for confirming my suspicions."  
  
"Your welcome, I suggest that you go on the pill or get a diaphragm."  
  
"Definitely"  
  
*******  
  
We stayed in Carson City for 2 more days, because Doctor Tim had banned me from travelling for a couple more days. I found out what Lula and Mary Lou had been doing while I was in hospital, they spent one day following Doctor Tim around the hospital, making up fake symptoms, and they spent the other day spending up big at the shops. Which is also what we did for the 2 extra days we had to stay.  
  
I tried to delay calling my mother for as long as possible, but Mary Lou and Lula talked me into calling her.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi Mom."  
  
"Omigod. Stephanie Plum do you have any idea how worried we are?" Mum kept on like that for another 5 minutes, until grandma Mazur took the phone off her.  
  
"Hello Stephanie, how are you?"  
  
"I'm good grandma, how's mum?"  
  
"She'll be fine, she started to hyperventilate. So did you get it on with that spunky bounty hunter?"  
  
"Grandma, how do you know?"  
  
"I head at Clara's that you and Joe were going to get married, but Ranger showed up and you were kissing him."  
  
Wow, that was almost accurate.  
  
"Who did you hear it from?"  
  
"Let me think, Joyce came in the day after Joe arrived home. She heard it from Terry Gilman, who heard it from, umm, Bella. You know, Bella always like Terry…"  
  
*******  
  
I hadn't realised this earlier, but Carson City had one of the biggest Macy's in the entire US. Which suited me, because I was in a major shopping mood.  
  
1 hour later, when I ventured into the shoe's department, a black pair caught my eyes, they were exactly the same as the purple one one's that were destroyed in an apartment fire that happened about 6 months ago. Joe had really liked those shoes. Luckily they were also in my size, score!! Next think I had to find was a dress to go with them.  
  
I was in a real high after finding those shoes and 10 minutes later Lula and Mary Lou had found me two different dresses to go with them.  
  
Lula's dress was kinda a lavender colour, skin tight, very short, scoop neck and no back, the type of dress that Joe really, really likes. As it is, I'd probably only just get into it now, and I'd defiantly only be able to wear it for a few more weeks. Mary Lou's dress was more practical, it was black, halter neck, and the skirt dropped from a few inches below the bust.  
  
To hell with it, I bought them both.  
  
*******  
  
3 hours later we were finished at Macy's, and were looking for somewhere to have lunch, when we walked past the Victoria's Secret I had seen earlier with Joe, when I thought, what better way to get Joe back, but with sexy lingerie. Mary Lou had told Lula about my decision, we had been thinking about ways for me to prove that I loved him, and wanted him, and apparently we were all thinking the same idea, because we all stopped outside Victoria's Secret.  
  
I looked at Mary Lou and she nodded, then I looked at Lula and she winked. In we went.  
  
*******  
  
10 teddies, 10 pairs of matching sexy panties and bras, stockings, garters plus a few extra bits and pieces and 1 hour later we left Victoria's Secret, and I left with more bags from there, that I had from Macy's, if that's even possible. I think Mary Lou and Lula just liked the idea of bring me things, and making me try them on, because I'm sure that if I was shopping by myself, I wouldn't have had soooo much fun. I think I bought every different colour they had, including lavender and black.  
  
*******  
  
The next day we left for Philadelphia, but before we left I rang the hotel and explained the situation, well actually, I lied through my teeth. I told them my fiancée got called away on business, and I was coming with friends, so they changed our room to two adjoining rooms.  
  
The flight from Reno was pretty boring, though we did see a pretty good movie, it was "Gladiator" with that spunky Aussie Russell Crowe, be still my beating heart.  
  
We land at about 3pm, where the spunky driver picked us up and drove us to the hotel where we were stay for the week. We went out partying every night and on our second night in Philadelphia we ran into an old friend. Sally Sweet. It turns out his new band Sally Sweet and the Special Desires were playing at the club we went to last night. Sally invited us back stage before the show, introduced us to the band, there was Ben on drums, Dean on bass and Mark and Sally on guitar. He even got us a table right in front of the stage.  
  
Back stage later that night we were all getting really pissed, well, everyone else was getting really pissed, Mary Lou and Lula had band me from drinking anything alcoholic.  
  
Sally said down beside me, "So why the fuck aren't you allowed to fucken drink alcohol?"  
  
"Well, I'm pregnant. I'm surprised you didn't know that, it was in the paper a month ago"  
  
"Fucken congrats. I fucken haven't been fucken home, we've been fucken touring. How fucken far along are you? Shit, so is Morelli the fucken father, excuse the pun"  
  
"Just on 14 weeks, and yeah he is"  
  
"No he's not" Lula yelled from across the room. "It could be Ranger's"  
  
"Shit, you mean that big fucken bounty hunter? Fucken hell, when did you fucken sleep with him?"  
  
I told Sally and the guys, who were really intrigued by now, all about the saga, from black dress to our trip to Philli and who I decided I wanted.  
  
So watch gonna do?" Ben asked  
  
"Well, I have two plans. With it being Morelli and all, I think I know which plan to go with." I explained what I was going to do to the band. After I had finished they looked at each other and told me that I should go with plan B. I told them it was the plan I had been thinking about going with anyway.  
  
For the rest of our time in Philli, we went shopping during the day, they even talked me into looking for baby clothes, prams, cots, baby seats for the Buick, I didn't buy any thing, because I was kinda hoping that Valerie would still have all of her stuff. While at night we followed Sally and the band around Philli. I think Lula and Dean had a think for each other because one night she left with him and we didn't see her again until the next night, where they both showed up in the same clothes as the night before.  
  
*******  
  
We arrived back in Trenton around 3pm, we had said goodbye to Sally, Mark, Ben and Dean in Philli. Lula and Dean had exchanged addresses, Dean promising to call her when he got back to Trenton. While Sally made me promise to call him and let him know what happens with Morelli.  
  
We had driven home from Philli, Mary Lou, Lula and I taking it in turns driving. We came to the agreement that who ever was driving got to decide what we listened to. Mary Lou choose Matchbox Twenty, Lula some rap singer, while I choose of course Metalica. I think that people in Trenton heard us coming before they even spotted us.  
  
Mary Lou dropped Lula home first. I'm pretty sure the moment she got inside she was calling Connie to tell her we were back and to catch up on the gossip.  
  
Mary Lou drove for a few more minutes before pulling into the carpark.  
  
"So, what are you going to do now?" she asked.  
  
"Right now, I'm going up stairs to sleep" I replied  
  
"You know what I mean, what are you going to do about Joe? When are you going to go and see him?"  
  
"I'm not sure, probably tomorrow, first I've gotta call my mother to tell her I'm home, though I suspect that she may already know that."  
  
Saying bye to Mary Lou, and entered my building and checked my mail, my box was completely stuffed, not wanting to look through it all now, I pressed the button and waited for the elevator.  
  
When the elevator doors opened Mrs. Bestler was playing elevators "Ground floor" she said and asked me "Going up?"  
  
"Yep" I said picking up my luggage, which I'm pretty sure was heavier that when I left.  
  
"What floor?" she asked as I got in.  
  
"Second please"  
  
"Good choice, There having a sale on baby clothes at the moment. Your looking good Stephanie, not to big yet."  
  
"Thanks Mrs. Bestler but I'm only 15 weeks."  
  
Getting off the elevator at my floor, I rooted around in my bags looking for my keys.  
  
Eventually I found them and let myself in, the first thing I noticed was the gross smell, opening the fringe, I realised I had left milk in there.  
  
Opening all the windows, I fanned the smell out, eventually when it was gone, I sat down to listen to my answering machine, the little light was working over time.  
  
1/2 an hour later I had erased the last of the messages. I had counted 4 from my mother, all within the last 20 minutes, 2 from Eddie, 3 from Carl, 6 from Terry Gilman, 3 from Joe's mother abusing me for breaking her poor baby's heart, 2 from grandma Bella, 4 from Joyce and a lot of miscellaneous calls.  
  
The next think I did was go before my mail, in amongst all of my mail was a blank envelope, inside was a plastic card and a note from Ranger.  
  
"Babe,  
  
This is the address and the key to a safe house I have here in Trenton, if you ever need anything go there and I'll meet you there.  
  
1155 Morack Road  
  
Trenton  
  
Ranger"  
  
Setting it to one side, I continued with my mail, mixed in with it all was a set of keys. I recognized them as the keys to Joe's house. Taking this as a sign, it was almost time to set my plan into action.  
  
First thing to do was ring my mother and tell her I was back, then have a nap.  
  
Picking up the phone, I dialed home.  
  
"Hello"  
  
"Hey mum"  
  
"Stephanie, where are you?"  
  
"I'm back at home"  
  
"Good."  
  
After this mum just started to babble on about stuff, and I kinda just tuned out.  
  
"Mum, mum?" I tried to break in "Mum? Let me talk to grandma"  
  
"Hello Steph?"  
  
"Grandma, how are you?"  
  
"Better than your mother, do you have any idea of the amount of abuse she's been getting from Mrs. Morelli and Bella."  
  
"I know, there were messages on my phone. But how is she handling it all?"  
  
"Well, the house has never been cleaner"  
  
That was not a good sign  
  
"Steph, what are you going to do about Joe and Ranger?"  
  
"Well, it's Joe that I want, I'm still wearing his ring, and I have a plan"  
  
"Can you fill me in?"  
  
"If it all works out"  
  
"Good luck, you'll probably need it, apparently he still hasn't gone back to work, just drives around town like a zombie, he only goes out to get food."  
  
"Well, I'm determined to get my man"  
  
*******  
  
5 hours later, I was well rested, showered and shaved and was putting the finishing touches on my make up and hair. While we were in Philli, I had bought this hair straightening crème, and so far it was working well, straight my hair reached half way down my back, it felt good to run a hair brush though it!  
  
Going into my bedroom, I laid out all my new lingerie, from Victoria's Secret, on bed, and tried to decide what to wear. I could go with my black dress or my new purple one.  
  
I decided to go with the back one, because it matched my new shoes, and the sexier of my new lingerie. Besides, I wasn't plan on wearing the dress for very long.  
  
3/4 of an hour later I was ready to go, my bag had extra bits of clothing in it, and I was wearing my biggest coat. I looked down at my feet and notice my stomach was protruding a far amount, I was really beginning to show. I picked up the phone and called Joe's, I was really hoping that he wasn't home, and luckily for me he wasn't.  
  
15 minutes later, I was letting myself in to Joe's house, the Buick parked down the road a bit, so it wouldn't create suspicion. No chance of that.  
  
"Joe? Are you home?" I called out.  
  
After receiving no answer I set my plan into action.  
  
I took off my jacket, and placed it on the floor near the front door. Walking my way though his house, I left bits of clothing behind me, a jacket in the kitchen, a shoe just before the stairs, the other half way up the stairs and finally, I slipped out of my dress and hung it on his bedroom door knob.  
  
Climbing on to his bed, I tried several seductive posses, before deciding to lie on my side.  
  
He can't be to far away I thought to myself, I'll just wait here until he gets home.  
  
I don't know how long I was asleep for, because the next think I was being shaken awake.  
  
"Steph, wake up, Steph"  
  
"Joe? Is that you?"  
  
"No it's Eddie"  
  
Eddie, I sat bolt upright. "What are you doing here" Realising my state of undress, I grabbed a pillow from behind me and hugged it in front of me"  
  
"Eddie, would you please get my coat from the front door?"  
  
"Sure, just don't move"  
  
Where the hell did he think I was going to go?  
  
2 minutes later he came back through the door and handed me my coat, he turned his back while I got off the bed and slipped it on.  
  
"Eddie, why are you here? You never said"  
  
"I drove past here on my way home, and saw your car, umm Joe's in hospital"  
  
"Wh, wha, what do you mean, in hospital?"  
  
"Last night at about 9:30 he was shot in a convenience store robbery. Steph, he's in a coma" 


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13  
  
"Shot? Coma?" Ommigod, I felt myself go light headed and I started to sway a bit, Eddie forced me to put my head between my knees until I felt better.  
  
After awhile I asked Eddie if he would take me to the hospital.  
  
"Are you sure? There are a lot of people there who blame you for all this"  
  
"You mean, Mrs. Morelli and Bella? They both have left me messages on my answering machine abusing the hell out of me. They aren't going to do anything to me, after all, I'm carrying Joe child"  
  
"But there's Terry and a couple of the boys from vice aren't to happy with you"  
  
"I don't care, I'm still his fiancÃ©e, I'm still wearing his ring, and he hasn't called off the engagement that I know of and most important, he is the father of my baby"  
  
Eddie thought for a minute, "Ok, I'll take you. By the way, you look really good for someone whose 20 weeks pregnant"  
  
I felt my eye widen, "20 weeks, Eddie I'm only 15 weeks, am I that fat?"  
  
"No, sorry Steph" he mumbled. "Let's go"  
  
1 hour later, my hair was curly again, I was wearing clothes. Unfortunately my normal jeans didn't fit anymore, so I had to wear my new pregnant jeans, the ones with the elastic waist band. Eddie was walking me through the hospital.  
  
"Just remember what I said about everyone ok?"  
  
"yep"  
  
We walked through the door and the corridor ahead was full of cops and Morelli's family. The corridor fell silent as everyone looked to see who it was. Carl wondered over to us.  
  
"Hey Steph, long time no see, you look good"  
  
"Yep, just getting a bit fat."  
  
"I have to admit, you choose the right time to visit. Mrs. Morelli and Bella just went home on doctors orders to get some sleep, but you'd better be ready for a fight, because they left Terry Gilman sitting in there with him, she hasn't left his side since she arrived."  
  
"So, how is he?"  
  
"The doctors with him now. He was shot twice in the chest and once in the forearm" Carl told me  
  
Ommigod, I think I started to go lightheaded again, because the next thing I knew, Eddie and Carl where leading me over to a chair, forcing my head between my legs again.  
  
A few minutes later the doctor came out of Joe's room; Carl grabbed him as he walked past.  
  
"Excuse me doctor, how is he?" Carl asked.  
  
"Are you family?"  
  
"I'm his fiancÃ©e" I spoke up.  
  
The doctor gave me an odd look, but continued. "Office Morelli caught two in the chest, one bullet grazed a lung, but it missed the heart the other hit his kidney. The shot to his forearm was just a flesh wound."  
  
I placed on hand on my stomach "Will he be ok?"  
  
"He should make a full recovery, provided he wakes up soon, the longer he's in the coma and less his chances are"  
  
"Was he conscious when he was bought in?"  
  
"According to the emergency doctor, he was asking for his fiancÃ©e, but I thought that the woman in his room was his fiancÃ©e, because that's how she introduced herself."  
  
"Oh, well, can I see him please?"  
  
"Sure, he's only allowed one visitor at a time, so you'll have to get that woman out of there"  
  
I nodded and told the doctor thanks.  
  
"Do you want us to get her out of there Steph?"  
  
"No, I'll do it, just hang around because I'm pretty sure she ain't gonna want to go."  
  
I took a deep breath, walked over to Joe hospital door and looked in. Terry was sitting there, really close to him, holding his hand and murmuring to him. She glanced up at the door and saw me.  
  
Slowly I made my way over to his bed, I looked around, and Joe was hooked up to all sorts of machines and tubes. I placed my bag on the spare chair and lent over Joe to kiss him on the forehead.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Terry hissed, "this is all your fault"  
  
I ignored her and sat down on a chair, with my back to the door.  
  
"Didn't you hear me? What are you doing here? Mrs. Morelli and Bella are going to kill you when they get back."  
  
I looked up at her, "Sorry, I wasn't listening, MY fiancÃ©e is in hospital. Did you say something?"  
  
"Yes, the man I love is in hospital, all because you couldn't keep your hands and lips to yourself"  
  
"Hey Terry, lets take this out to the corridor" Where Carl and Eddie can stop me front strangling her.  
  
In the corridor, still surrounded by Joe's family and cops, we continued our agreement.  
  
"Ha, the man you love, listen honey, he doesn't love you, otherwise you would be wearing this ring. He's my fiancÃ©e and the father of my baby" I said, waving my hand in her face.  
  
"He only proposed because your pregnant you stupid slut, you don't even know who the father of the child is"  
  
"You know what, I don't have to take this from you, he's my fiancÃ©e, so just stay away from him" I turned to walk away, when Terry grabbed, my arm, turning me to face her and swung at me, I didn't have time to duck and she connected with my cheek. Boy did she know how to punch, I went down like a sack of potatoes, nearly landing on my stomach.  
  
A couple of cops grabbed her from behind, while Carl and Eddie rushed over to help me up. Protectively, I put both of my arms around my stomach and glared at her.  
  
"The next time you do something to harm me or this baby, I will be on you so fast, you won't know what has hit you."  
  
"That goes for me as well," said Eddie  
  
"And me" Carl added.  
  
A couple of other cops stood behind me, no man likes to see a pregnant lady hurt.  
  
Terry glared at me and struggled out of the grasp of the cops. She walked past me, purposely bumping into me, causing me to step back a bit.  
  
"You ok Steph?" they asked.  
  
"Yeah, I just want to go back inside"  
  
It took about 10 minutes for me to convince them that I was fine, and that I promised to call them if there were any changes.  
  
Finally I settled myself in the uncomfortable hospital chairs, until a nurse came in to take Joe's vitals and took pity on me, she later bought me a more comfortable chair.  
  
I sat there for what felt like hours, just holding Joe's hand, our fingers intertwined, watching Joe breathe. The doctor told me that it was good he was breathing on his own, plus, if I spoke to him, there was a chance he could hear me.  
  
So I sat there telling him about what happened after he left Carson City, even how I ended up in hospital, and running into Sally in Philli.  
  
Eventually I got around to the really important stuff.  
  
"Joe, I'm soooo sorry for what I did. I didn't mean for it to go so far, he was just there comforting me, because I was really upset with you and upset with myself, Ranger was just there. I'm not trying to make excuses for what I did, and I don't expect you to forgive me straight away."  
  
After I finished, I sat there, just hoping that he would wake up and tell me everything was ok, but he just layed there.  
  
At about 1pm, I realised how hungry I was, I hadn't eaten since we left Philli and with Doctor Tim's warnings ringing I my ears, I went in search of the cafeteria.  
  
Outside Joe's room where still two of his workmates. I asked them if they wanted anything. Both said no, one even offered to go for me, so I could stay with Joe. But I needed to get out of the room. I told them to come and find me if there was any change.  
  
  
  
After wondering around the hospital for 15 minutes, I eventually found the cafeteria, and promptly stacked my tray with as much as possible, mostly salads and fruit, 'cause it was all they had.  
  
On my way back to Joe's room, I went via the nursery and had a look at all the newborns. I must have stood there for while, because a nurse came over to me and asked if I was ok.  
  
"Excuse me miss, are you ok?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. Actually could you tell me please tell me the name of the resident obstetrician?"  
  
The nurse looked at me "of course, there's two obstetrician's working at this hospital, Doctor Seymour and Dr Wheeler, who is actually a OB-GYN. Doctor Wheeler is on call today, would you like to speak to her?"  
  
"Yes please" I replied  
  
I sat down and read a couple of 3 year old Who magazines.  
  
Doctor Wheeler finally came out to see me.  
  
"Hello, I'm Doctor Wheeler"  
  
"I'm Stephanie Plum, and as you can see, I'm pregnant"  
  
"So I see, you're about 15 weeks right?"  
  
I nodded  
  
"Would you like to step into my office, so we can talk," she said, pointing me in the direction of her office.  
  
After we sat down, she asked me some questions.  
  
"Is this your first doctor's appointment?"  
  
"Yes and no, it's first check up, but I only got out of hospital 1 1/2 weeks ago, in Carson City.  
  
"I have an opening at 2:30, if you could come back then, I can give you a full check up. Can we expect the father to be here?"  
  
"Umm, no, he and I aren't really on speaking terms at the moment, he's in a coma in this hospital"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry"  
  
"It's ok"  
  
"Is there someone who can be here with you during the check up?"  
  
Mary Lou, Lula, Connie, Valerie, mum, grandma. "I'm sure I can find someone"  
  
"One last this, what was the doctors name in Carson City, so I can get a copy of your chart?"  
  
"Doctor Tim Rogers"  
  
"Thanks, I'll see you at 2:30"  
  
I left her office and slowly wondered my way back to Joe's room, when I got there, Joe wasn't alone.  
  
"Hey Steph"  
  
"Mary Lou, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well duh, I heard about Joe, then Eddie rang me and told me about Terry, did you really threaten to kill her? Anyway, I left Lenny with the kids and came to keep you company."  
  
"Good, I was just about to call you, can you come to the doctor with me this afternoon, I have my first check up"  
  
"Sure, after all I've done it twice"  
  
"Thanks"  
  
As it turns out my first check up was relatively easy. Doctor Wheeler asked me questions about my general health, activities, hobbies, alcohol, drugs, family, prior doctors and medical history. Then I had to sign some release forms. Then she took my vitals.  
  
She gave me advise for what to do and not to do, what how she saw the pregnancy progressing, how she would function as the pregnancy progresses and what I hospitals she worked at. It turns out this one was the closest.  
  
Finally she did a pelvic exam and drew some blood for tests and took a urine sample.  
  
After we had finished, I sent Mary Lou to my appartment to get some clothes for me, and I went back to Joe's room.  
  
Waiting for me was Mrs. Morelli and Grandma Bella. 


	14. Chapter 14

1 Chapter 14  
  
3 tortuous hours, lots of arguing and name calling later Mrs Morelli and Grandma Bella left to gone home for the night. As it turns out Grandma Bella was the one who I was fighting with the most, Mrs Morelli just sat there holding Joe's hand and telling her mother to leave me alone. In the end we all came to a comprise, we would take it in turns watching Joe, so that if he woke up, he wouldn't be alone. Then whom ever was there would call the other. I just hoped that it worked.  
  
Mrs Morelli and Grandma Bella still didn't like me, but at least Mrs. Morelli was willing to put up with me, Grandma Bella just sat there throwing insults at me, giving me the evil eye, or what ever else she had to in order to get to me. In the end I just didn't look at her. She wasn't going to get rid of me that easy.  
  
The only times I moved was to use the bathroom or stretch my legs.  
  
After they had left, I still sat there watching Joe breath in and out, in and out, until another felt pity for me, and bought me a TV to watch.  
  
Flicking through the channels, there wasn't much to watch, the news, lots of sport. Wrestling, Basketball – the Nets were up, so was Orlando, that Aussie Rules Football again, hell it was even the same brown and yellow team. I think the commenter called them Hawthorn. I watched the rest of the game, keeping my eye out for the cute players, woo hoo, I saw them, Shane Crawford, Daniel Chick, Aaron Lord, Ben Dixon, and they were the ones I saw close up!! MTV was showing Road Rules Australia, pretty interesting stuff, they were at a crocodile farm. Finally I settled on "The Jerry Springer Show"  
  
Finally people with lives more screwed up than my own.  
  
I must have fallen asleep, some time after the 4th Episode, because I had the most bizarre dream.  
  
I was on the Jerry Springer Show, the topic for today was called "People who have stuffed up their lives"  
  
I was sitting there in the audience, looking at myself, also up on stage, it felt like something out of the Twilight Zone.  
  
Anyway, so I sitting there watching Jerry talking to the audience, and then asking me to tell my story, and it was something along the lines of:  
  
"Well, I should probably explain what I do for a living, I'm a Bounty Hunter, which means that I go after people who fail to appear for their court hearings. Anyway, this whole situation started when I bought a little black dress to wear to a wedding that my on-again, off-again boyfriend invited me to, I didn't wear the dress, but a few nights later, I was, well, horny, I decided to invited someone over, but what I haven't told you is that my bounty hunter mentor had kissed me, sending me into a tail spin."  
  
"So, in my state of confusion, I put both Joe's and Ranger's names in a bowl and picked one"  
  
I watched as the crowd all booed at this, a few audience members put up their hands with questions.  
  
Jerry walked over the closest to where he was standing. "Do you have a question?"  
  
"Yes, who is Joe and Ranger, which one is your boyfriend and which is your mentor?"  
  
"I explained that Joe was my boyfriend and Ranger was my mentor.  
  
"What does Joe do for a living?"  
  
"Joe's a policeman"  
  
"Stephanie, would you please continue with your story?" Jerry asked.  
  
"Of course, so like I said, I picked a name out of the bowl, but I peeked…"  
  
Once more boos came from the audience.  
  
I watched as I stood up and tried to explain to the audience why I peeked. In the end Jerry told the audience to quite down, and that we would all see them later on in the show.  
  
"It was Joe that I rang and we had great night together, but he got called away on a job the next morning, I'm ok with this, I'm used to it. Unfortunately, this is where things start to get complicated. Ranger called me and asked if I could go to Atlantic City with him to do a job."  
  
More boos from the audience.  
  
"Anyway, I found out later that Joyce Burnhart had told Joe that I've gone to Atlantic City with Ranger, except the **** didn't tell him it was only a job, so to get back at me he sleeps with his ex high school girlfriend, Terri Gilman."  
  
"Mean while my best friend Mary Lou has rung me and tells me she saw Joe kissing Terri. So being the mature person that I am, I get back at him by sleeping with Ranger while we were in Atlantic City."  
  
Calls of slut and whore echo throughout the audience.  
  
"Are there any questions?" asked Jerry.  
  
"This Terry chick, do you two get along?"  
  
"To be honest, I don't really like her, and I don't trust her when she's with Joe alone"  
  
"What about Joyce?"  
  
I thought for a second, "How can I put this politely, I caught her and my first husband bare arsed on my dinning room table, so I'd have to say, she and I don't really get along"  
  
"Did you use protection of any kind?" asked Jerry.  
  
"Joe and I used condoms, mostly, he thought I was on the pill, and Ranger and I used condoms, but he also told me that he had a vasectomy, but it turns out that his "snip and clip" wasn't 100% successful."  
  
"Stephanie, please continue with your story"  
  
"Fast forward two and a half months" I continued "I'm 8 weeks pregnant and the father was Joe, or so I thought. But I felt that I need to tell both of them that I was pregnant, except, I didn't know where either of them where, but neither of them were even in Trenton."  
  
"Lula and Connie guess that I'm pregnant, and later that night I find Joe in my apartment, we talk and decide to forgive each other and perhaps get back together, and we were making up when Ranger broke into my apartment, as usual, and was standing in my kitchen. I should have told both of them then, but Joe and Ranger got into a fight, and I threaten to shot their nuts off if they didn't stop fighting. Then I kicked them out."  
  
"The next morning the whole of Trenton knew I was pregnant, mainly because on page 5 of the newspaper was the headline "BOMBSHELL BOUNTY HUNTER PREGANT" plus a photo me looking for maternity clothes. So I do the right thing and go over to Joe's to tell him that HE'S the father of my child, but he doesn't quite believe me. Later Ranger told me about his vasectomy, and then I run away from Joe when he's at my parents house for dinner"  
  
"The next day I win a trip to LA, and take it as an omen, that I'm supposed to go and let Joe figure things out for himself. So I invite Mary Lou, but she couldn't make it for a few days, but what I didn't know is that Ranger had gone to see Joe, and told him about his vasectomy, Joe's then visited by Mary Lou, who gives him her ticket to LA."  
  
"Anyway, back in my room, I was waiting for Mary Lou to arrive, when there was a knock at my door and it was Joe. I let him in, and over the next week, we talked and started to figure things out, Joe proposed, I said yes and we organised with a couple of Joe's friends to get married in Lake Tahoe, but first we meet them in Carson City."  
  
"Everything was going fine, we had our marriage certificate, and was getting ready to leave for Lake Tahoe, when Ranger showed up and dropped a bomb shell. He had gone to his doctor, and there is a 75% chance that he could still father a child."  
  
More boo's echoed thought the audience.  
  
"However, I told Joe, but he left, and I never found out how he felt about my baby, after I told him, I went for a walk and ran into Ranger, went ballistic at him, but some how ended up kissing him, that's when Joe found me, I chased after him, but he was gone. Then Ranger was gone, and I was alone"  
  
A mixture of boo's and slut calls echoed thought the audience.  
  
"I called my friends Mary Lou and Lula, who came straight away, they both received phone calls from Joe and Ranger respectively, asking them to come and look after me. And to cut the rest of this story short, we took out time coming back to Trenton, stopping in Philli for a few days, while I made up my mind, as to who I couldn't live without."  
  
"I decide that Joe was the one that I wanted, and I would play dirty if I had to. So the day we arrived back in Trenton I set my plan into action. I went to Joe's house, let myself in with my keys, I made a path way of clothing leading from the doorway up to his bedroom where I was waiting, and that's where I fell asleep waiting"  
  
"The next morning I was woken my by friend Eddie, who's a colleague of Joe's, he told me that Joe was in a coma in hospital. So that were I ended up. I got into a fight with Terry Gilman, and later with Joe's mother and grandmother. "  
  
"So that's my story"  
  
"Wow" said Jerry. "Ok, so lets invite out the two men in this saga, firstly Joe Morelli.  
  
I watched as Joe appeared from behind me, and sat in the chair beside me.  
  
When Joe walked out on stage there was a bevy of cat calls.  
  
"Hi Joe, how are you?" asked Jerry.  
  
"Good thanks Jerry, you?"  
  
"Not bad, so, do you know the woman beside you?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Who is she to you?"  
  
"Well, she's my fiancée, Stephanie"  
  
"So your still engaged?"  
  
"As far as I know"  
  
"Why don't you tell us your side of the story."  
  
So Joe started to tell his story, I listened because I hadn't heard it before.  
  
When Joe had finished Jerry spoke up. "Ok, well lets bring out the 3rd person in this bizarre triangle, Ranger Mañoso."  
  
I looked at Joe from the audience and saw his eyes glaze over, he wasn't happy.  
  
I think every woman in the audience nearly fainted when he walked out on stage. Ranger sat on the other side of me.  
  
"Hi, Ranger is it?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Do you know the people beside you?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"Stephanie and Joe"  
  
"Do you know why you're here?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Do you ever give answers longer that on word?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"Ranger, could you please tell us your side of this bizarre triangle?"  
  
Now Ranger recounted his side of the story, and the next thing I knew Joe had jumped up and was fighting with Ranger. The rest of the time up there with Ranger and Joe was a bit of a blur. But I do remember being knocked of my chair several times, in the end Jerry had to send them out the back.  
  
Once they were gone, Jerry introduced my mother and Grandma Mazur, and Joe's mother and Grandma Bella, and before Jerry had time to ask questions Grandma's Mazur and Bella where going at it like rabid dogs, hurling abuse across the stage, fighting and in the end Grandma Mazur pulled her stun gun on Bella and stunned her. Grandma Mazur was waving around her stun gun like it was a walking stick, threatening to stun everyone including Jerry, but in the end I managed to get her to give me the stun gun, and security hauled her and Bella of the stage.  
  
Mum and Mrs. Morelli where a little be more restrained, until that is when Mrs. Morelli called me a slut and mum went psycho, and remained Mrs. Morelli that she had to have a "hurry up wedding". Mum had many years of pent up ager towards Angie Morelli.  
  
Next on the magical Jerry Springer show was Lula, Mary Lou vs Terry and Joyce. This would make for interesting viewing.  
  
The crowd cheered for Lula and Mary Lou when they came out to sit with me, I had to get up and moved to sit between them, because there was no way in hell I was sitting next to Terry and Joyce. I told Jerry to have security ready, because I could blow at anytime.  
  
As it turns out it wasn't me that had to worry about. When Terry and Joyce came out, there was a lot of booing, and to my joy, Joyce was called a slut by a few audience members.  
  
Terry and Joyce went straight for me, but Terry was incepted by Lula who sat on her and Mary Lou got her hands on Joyce, I just stood up, and walked to the side and watched them go.  
  
Somehow, Lula managed to smuggle her Taser out on stage and stunned Terry, she then tossed the Taser to Mary Lou who in turn stunned Joyce, the crowd went absolutely mental. They were loving it.  
  
After they cleaned up all the carnage they bought Joe and Ranger back out to sit on either side of me.  
  
They started to fight over me, Joe had one are and Ranger the other, ad they were shaking me, back and forth, when I suddenly opened my eyes and saw a nurse looking at me.  
  
"Excuse me Miss. Plum, but Mr. Morelli is awake"  
  
"Huh, what?"  
  
"Mr. Morelli is awake"  
  
"Ohmigod, ohmigod, your awake"  
  
The nurse looked at me, "I think it was to dream you were having, you were squeezing the life out of his hand, he had to call us to wake you up. I've called the Doctor, he'll be here soon, so why don't you go and call his mother."  
  
I got up and nodded. I looked into his brown eyes, and saw him raise an eyebrow, and faintly smiled at me. I grinned back, and went to call Mrs. Morelli.  
  
  
  
2 days later I was sitting with Joe in his room, the doctors where finally letting him sit up, and we where just enjoying the time along, the first time we had been alone since he had woken up.  
  
"So Steph, what are we going to do now?" Joe asked out of the blue.  
  
"I don't know, but I'm still wearing this" I said showing him my left hand.  
  
A smile came across his face, before the cop face mask.  
  
He took my hand, and started to speak. "Steph, you know I love you, and I still want to marry you, I realised that when Eddie and Carl told me how you stood up to Terry and that you had been here the entire time. Hell, Eddie even told me what you weren't wearing when he found you" I felt my face to all hot. "I just think that you need some more time to get over what ever it was or is that you feel for Ranger. Just remember, I told you, marriage in the Morelli family is forever, so don't think your getting out of it."  
  
I felt tears welling up in my eyes, threatening to spill down my checks.  
  
"Joe, I don't need any more time to think, what Ranger and I didn't have is over, because we didn't have anything. And what I wasn't wearing when Eddie found me, well I'll wear it for you on our wedding night. Plus I found another pair of your favourite purple shoes"  
  
With that I got up and walked out of his room, at the doorway, I looked back at him, I could see that he was really excited about those purple shoes.  
  
"By the way, I have an appointment with my OB-GYN - Doctor Wheeler, at the end of the month, I'll let you know, when and where, so you can come it you want."  
  
I blew him a kiss and left the hospital. 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
One Month Later (Steph is 20 weeks, in other word 5 months)  
  
My next Doctor's appointment was rather traumatic. I had rung Joe, when he had gotten out of hospital, and he had insisted on attending. I was expecting a pelvic exam, so was not that eager to have him watch. But Doctor Wheeler put me at ease and proceeded to explain certain aspects of the pregnancy which was followed by all those tests - blood, urine, heart rate, blood pressure, blah, blah, blah. Then the most amazing thing happened. We listened to the baby's heart beat. It was so amazing. Sounded like horses galloping along . Made it seem truly real.  
  
"Stephanie, I am a little concerned about the rate of this baby's growth. Have you been watching your diet?'  
  
Hell, yes. I watch everything go in one small piece of cake at a time. What was she talking about? "Yes. Of course" I answered. "Why?"  
  
"Well, I think I'm going to order an ultra sound right away to make sure we have the due date correct. We had thought your baby was due on the 1st of August, but we may be off by a month at the rate this kid is growing."  
  
A month, a fucking month? Holy crap, that's when I had moved in with Joe after my apartment was firebombed. "Okay. Sure. When?"  
  
"Well, how about this afternoon. I'll have my assistant make the appointment before you leave. Joe will that work for you?"  
  
"Sure. Whatever you say." He was holding my hand acting just a bit nervous and his hand was sweating. Uck.  
  
I was instructed to drink eight glasses of 8-oz water an hour before the ultra sound. I don't normally drink that much water - seems what I do drink comes out ten minutes later. But with Joe's help, I drank it all and managed to only pee twice in one hour. We met the doctor at the appointed place and time. I was starting to feel rather water logged when the doctor suggested that I go to the bathroom. She also gave me a Dixie cup. "What's this for?" I asked.  
  
"I only want you to release that much urine."  
  
"You've got to be kidding?! No way. You expect me to stop once I get started? Impossible. Why even bother?"  
  
"Your bladder is too full, but we need it full in order to see the baby. Now, go try to release some."  
  
Oh, boy, this is going to be fun. Besides trying to hit that itty bitty cup with a steady stream of urine, I was going to have to stop. Okay, I can do this. I can do this.  
  
Five minutes later I had pee all over my hand, but I had succeeded in stopping mid stream. Oh boy.  
  
Laying on the table, the doctor squirted what felt like Jello all over my tummy and proceeded to rub. Joe was transfixed on the tinny screen behind my head.  
  
"Oh, oh, I didn't expect this" the doctor said.  
  
"What, what" we both said at once. "What's wrong. What's wrong!"  
  
"Well, look at this." Using her finger she pointed to an area of the screen that looked like a blob of nothing. "Right there is the baby's head. Aaaannnd, right there" pointing to the other end of the blob "is another head."  
  
"WHAT" I screamed. "Oh no, our baby's deformed! How can this be. We have crazy people in the family but not deformed people. Joe, is anyone in your family deformed that you haven't told me about. I admit I was a little concerned about the baby inheriting Grandma's genes, but never did I think it would be deformed in any way. Oh, God, what are we going to do." I was about ready to cry when I noticed that the doctor was smiling. "What are you smiling about, this is serious. Our child will probably have to go to work for the Circus or a traveling side show. Other kids can be so cruel. I don't think I would be able to handle that. Geeze, what are we going to do." I was just about ready to cry when the doctor shook her head and cleared her throat in an attempt to talk instead of laugh.  
  
"Stephanie, Joe, your babies are not deformed. They look just fine."  
  
"Babies? Did you say babies as in two?" I asked  
  
"Yes. Two as in twins."  
  
Just then I heard a loud thud. Joe had fainted. Dead on the floor. I was leaning up on my elbows looking down at him and back up at the doctor who was now laughing.  
  
"Men." She leaned over and felt his pulse, then pushed a button on the intercom summoning an assistant with some smelling salt. She then proceeded to show me the "rest" of the babies. Four arms, four legs, two hearts, fingers, toes, and a profile of each one's head. She also took pictures of each one to show Joe when he came to his senses.  
  
"Would you like to know the sex?" she asked?  
  
"You can tell that now? Already?"  
  
"Well, at least the one in front I can. You see right there," she said pointing to a darker spot on the screen. "I believe that is the scrotum sack, and right there," pointing to an appendage pointing straight up "I believe is his penis." Great, Joe's kid has a little bitty hard on for everyone to see. He would be proud of that. "The other one is behind and unless it moves, I won't be able to tell until delivery. We will probably be doing more ultra sounds as your pregnancy continues to keep a check on the size of the babies and condition of your uterus. Any questions?"  
  
Beyond wanting to know how this had happened, and checking that the due date was still the 1st of August, nope, nada, no more questions right then. I was still in a state of shock. Joe finally came to, a bit embarrassed though. He wanted to see the same body parts I had see. He especially liked the body part that confirmed at least one of the babies was a boy.  
  
When we left the hospital, we lingered out the front for a moment.  
  
"We're having twins Joe, twins" I said all excited.  
  
"I know Steph, its amazing" he replied hugging me. "Listen, um, what are you doing for the rest of the day?"  
  
"I gotta do some surveillance for Tank, did you know that Ranger handed the business over to him, apparently he couldn't handle being around me anymore, and he left, I think Tank said he went to Australia. Why?"  
  
"I was kinda hoping you would spend the day with me, we could go shopping and stuff like that." Joe said, suddenly looking very nervous.  
  
"Sure, Tank wasn't really in any great hurry"  
  
  
  
Later that evening, after several hours shopping for clothes and looking at prams and cots, we were back at Joe's place, lying on the couch together.  
  
  
  
I sighed. "I can't wait to let my big belly stick way out there." I patted the slight mound where their babies lay growing, gaining the strength to be born.  
  
Joe shook his head a little, amused at my exaggeration. My stomach had yet to stick out a great deal, I had a bit of a bump and Joe suddenly had an overwhelming urge to touch it. I was dressed in an oversized sports jersey and bikini underwear. Joe thought Stephanie looked without doubt better in it than anyone else ever could. Joe moved my hands away, lifted the front to expose my midriff, and placed both his hands there, slowly caressing me.  
  
"I used to have nightmares about becoming a mother," I went on. "I was sure I'd screw it up, not like my mother or Valerie. But now," she shrugged, "I don't know why...but I'm suddenly overcome by a sense of peace and confidence. I know I'll be a good mother, Joe. I know together we'll be the best parents."  
  
"Umhmm," Joe agreed, bending to kiss my navel. My hands rumpled his hair as Joe kissed my stomach again, his hands sliding under the shirt to find my heavy breasts and fondle them gently. His thumbs found my nipples, which grew hard at his touch.  
  
He took my hand, pulling me off the couch and led my up the stairs to my bedroom and stopped next to the bed and pressed his lips to my neck. His hand went under the jersey and found the soft mound between my legs. Kneading it through the silkiness of my underwear, Joe kissed me on the mouth.  
  
I gasped in pleasure, leaning into him. "Oh!" I pulled back suddenly. "Are you sure?" I asked, remembering his recent injury. "You're still recovering...." My gaze drifted down to the evidence of his ability straining against its fabric prison. "Never mi--." My comment got lost in another kiss.  
  
Joe bent his head to the base of my throat, kissing me there, moving lower as Joe slowly lifted the shirt. Joe lifted his face to look into my wide eyes. I smiled at him and his heart felt squeezed. Joe pushed the shirt off my body and let it glide down my back and drift to the floor. His gaze went to my full breasts. They looked at least twice their normal size, dark blue veins standing out starkly beneath my translucent skin, a spiderweb of blue threads criss-crossing the expanse, culminating in enlarged, darkened nipples. Joe lifted his own shirt over his head and stepped forward so that the very tips of those lush breasts and the slight swell of my abdomen just grazed his skin. Joe closed his eyes and delighted in the sensation and the yearning it stirred in him.  
  
I moved and Joe opened his eyes to find me stepping out of my underwear, watching him expectantly. Joe enveloped my in his arms feeling a need to possess and protect. They kissed passionately while my fingers stroked him through his pants, fumbling to free his solid member. With a swift tug on the zipper, the pants fell open, his organ springing upward against my stomach. Joe pressed against my with urgency then sucked in a deep breath as I slid downward in front of him, taking the pants with my, my lips and tongue tasting all of him in my path. Joe swayed, feeling lightheaded, delirious pleasure building quickly. Joe made me stand by gently pulling on my arms, then guided my onto my back on the bed. As I reclined against the pillows, my hair feathering across them, Joe knelt between my legs and stroked my ripe body, planting kisses and nibbling at my delicately scented skin. His lips teased my inner thighs. His tongue tasted the place where they joined, the inner parts tantalizingly engorged from the pregnancy. Joe sampled every peak and every crevice, parting my tenderly, stroking my with his tongue. Enraptured by his ministrations, I reached for him, trying to guide him into my.  
  
"No. Wait."  
  
"No. Now."  
  
Through a taunting grin, Joe said, "You still haven't developed any patience." Joe bent back to his pleasurable task. When soon after she moaned and shuddered, Joe conceded to my wishes and slowly entered my.  
  
I tilted my hips, trying to take him in fully, but Joe pulled back almost disjoining them. "Slowly. Gently." And again Joe lowered himself into me, savouring the feel of moving inside my. Back again, almost all the way out. In, very slowly, not too deeply. I groaned and thrust my hips upward. "Not like that, Steph. Be careful. Not too rough. I don't want to hurt you." Joe smiled. "Any of you."  
  
"Joe?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You talk too much." Throwing my legs over his buttocks, I squeezed, bringing him fully into my and grunting with satisfaction.  
  
Later, we lay sweaty and exhausted, the frenzy of their lovemaking giving way to deep contentment. I, laying atop Joe, folded my arms across his chest and planted my chin on my forearm, staring at the fullness of his mouth, the curve of his nostrils, the darkness of long lashes as they lay against his white skin, the shadow of new beard accenting his jaw.  
  
"What're you doing?" Joe mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes.  
  
"Enjoying the view."  
  
Joe sighed. "I, we have to talk. Let's get marr…" His eyes came open with a start and Joe grabbed at my arms, fumbling for my hands.  
  
"What're you doing?!" I tried to push herself off of him.  
  
"Stop," Joe said in hushed anticipation, holding my in place. For a moment we lay perfectly still, my heart beating rapidly as I feared some coming dread. "There!" Joe said at last, a smile breaking across his face.  
  
I popped my head up, perching on my elbows and stared into his eyes. As I felt it again, I realized Joe did, too. "Isn't that cool?" I said, a grin spreading from ear to ear.  
  
"What's it feel like from your side?"  
  
I thought about how to explain the fluttery, tickly feeling of a baby testing out its uterine home and came up empty. "Weird," I laughed. "Hang on, what were you beginning to say?"  
  
"Let's get married, this weekend" 


	16. Chapter 16

1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Chapter 16  
  
Authors Note: Thank you Cindy for writing this for me, as I have no experience with pregnancy.  
  
Okay, so today is my due date, August 1. What am I still doing here? Why aren't things happening? I am starting to feel like a turtle that's rolled over on his back. Uuuuggghhh! Okay, here I go, right knee over the top, press against the bed with my arms, foot on the floor, uuupppp. There that wasn't so bad. Stretch the back a little, now if I can just make it to the bathroom. Down go the panties, feel around for the seat. There we go. THAT'S IT? All that pressure for a little tinkle?! Geeze it's even getting hard to wipe my own bottom. I'm going to need longer arms if these kids don't come out pretty soon. Now, where did I put those Tums? Seems like every night about this time I have to tinkle and then I have heartburn. Normally I put two Tums next to my night stand before I go to bed; however, Bob discovered them a few weeks ago and decided he needed extra calcium in is diet.  
  
"Stephanie is that you? What cha doing up this time of the morning? You okay? Do you need help??"  
  
"No, I'm fine Lula, just doing my nightly ritual of tinkling and Tums. You sleeping okay in there? Sure is nice of you guys to take turns staying with me this last week. Makes me feel better about being alone."  
  
"We would do more for you if you'd let us, now, don't cha worry. Things will happen when you least expect it. Do you have plastic sheets on that bed in case your water breaks in the middle of the night?"  
  
"Mary Lou already thought of that. But after sleeping on one of Lenny's blue tarps for one hour, I decided I could buy a new mattress if that happens. Good night Lula."  
  
"Good night Steph."  
  
Okay, let's try to get back to sleep. Pillow next to my spine, pillow between my knees, pillow under my head. There. Okay, sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Okay, let's try the other side. Move pillow out from between my knees, pillow out from under my back, roll over, pull blankets out of the way, roll some more, pillow behind my spine, pillow between my knees, blankets under my chin.  
  
"Are you done in there already? I can hear you rolling over clear in here? Do you need some help?/"  
  
"Lula, I am so uncomfortable, I can't get these pillows and blanket situated. I've got heartburn, I think I need to tinkle again, and I am so tired. Please come help me up."  
  
"It's okay, let me help you." Lula came in, and helped heave me up to a sitting position, pulling my legs over the bed and leveraging herself against the wall to help pull me to standing. "It'll be okay, Steph, just a few more days. It'll all be over. Come on, let me help you to the bathroom."  
  
"It's okay, Lula, I can make it to the bathroom okay. But can you do me one favour? Please?"  
  
"Sure Steph, what is it? Are you hungry, you need some ice cream? Pickles? A cold beer?"  
  
"No. This is going to sound strange at 2 in the morning, but can you tell if I still have hair on my crotch? I haven't been able to tell for about four months? If I have to go into the hospital in 24 hours I need to know if I should shave my bikini line."  
  
"Um, Steph, I think you should talk that over with your doctor tomorrow, or today, when you go see her. They use to shave you like a billiard ball, but don't know if they do that any more or not. But I ain't the one to look, uh um, no way. Now, let's get you back to bed. Where you keep those Tums of yours?"  
  
"Top drawer, under my red sweater, next to another box of something. I had to hide them from Bob."  
  
"Um Steph, these are a box of condoms way past their expiration date. I think you need to throw these away before your six week checkup."  
  
"Geeze, yes, I'm not going through this again any time soon. No more chances here, no sirreee. SIX weeks?? That's all the time they give you to heal before you can have sex again? More like that should be six months." Lula popped out two Tums and handed them to me. "Thanks Lula, for everything."  
  
As I tried to get back to sleep, again, I began to think about the last nine months. What a roller coaster of events. First I was single, then I was engaged, then I was almost married, and then I had two fathers. Then, I had none. Ranger had moved to Australia - I guess blood tests could of said a lot and he didn't want to stick around to find out for sure. Joe poked his head in and out occasionally, like normal, until the day of my ultrasound. He showed up after I had called him, just in time to see our babies alive and kicking. That changed him. We eloped to Atlantic City within 48 hours. Another 24 and I was moved into his house. Both sets of parents were just happy we were married, I think. Since I was really pregnant by then, a Catholic wedding was out, which was a little disappointing to Mrs. Morelli. But, oh well. Within a week of the big move, Joe was back to his old self - work came first. I've tried to keep up a good front so everyone won't know how scared I actually am. What was I thinking? How on earth am I going to raise two children by myself? No, you are not by yourself. You have Joe. Yeah, right, who am I kidding, Joe cares more about his work than me. What am I going to do? Well, I guess the first year will be okay. We will stay here - this house is big enough for all of us. I can put up a good front and see if Joe comes around. If not, well, we will survive. I can get a job at the button factory, mom and Grandma can baby-sit. Things will be okay. One day at a time. One day at a time. Don't worry kids, we will survive. I just hope your daddy comes around so we don't have to do this on our own. My eyes started to tear up. No, no, no, you are not going to cry. Women have babies every day and they survive. I'll be okay, I'll be okay, I'll be okay. Joe, please come home. Joe, Joe, Joe . Finally sleep came.  
  
Six am I woke up to my first real contraction. YEEOOOOWWWW. Breath, breath, in out in out. Shitt!! Oh my goodness. Okay, it's over. My goodness. Where is my watch. "Lula, Lula LULAA!!"  
  
"What, what is it" Lula came in rubbing her eyes. "You okay, what's up."  
  
"I think I just had my first real contraction. But, it's okay. We have to wait until they are, um, oh geeze, how far apart do they need to be. I can't remember! Okay, okay, calm down, it's okay. It's in my book. Help me get up and I'll just get my book." For the next hour or so things seems to calm down a bit. No more serious contractions, I was beginning to think it was a false alarm. My doctor's appointment was at 10am so between Lula and I we figured we could handle it until then. Lula called Connie, Mary Lou and my parents to give them a warning. Mary Lou said to keep drinking water and to walk. Connie said she would try to track Joe down. Mom said she would bake a cake. Grandma asked me to hold off until the 2pm viewing of Mr. Dillon. It was going to be a good one as he was in the VFW. I told her I would try. My sister, Valerie, called. She said to remember one word "epidural." No call from Joe.  
  
Lula and Connie drove me to my 10am doctor appointment. Dr Wheeler was on time for a change. As I explained my contraction, she nodded and said a couple of uh umns. With Connie and Lula looking on she asked me to scoot down on the examining table so she would check to see how far I was dilated. All I could see was the top of three heads staring between my legs.  
  
"Well Steph, you will be happy to know you still have pubic hair," said Lula.  
  
"What?" asked Connie.  
  
"Well, she asked me last night to check and I told her I wasn't going to go there. But since she is all propped up, thought I would check and let her know." They both looked at each other, shrugged a shoulder and bent back down to look.  
  
"Well, Stephanie, looks like it could be a while. Your cervix is only dilated to a two. You need to be at a 10 before you can deliver. However, with twins you could come very fast. I think you should go home, grab your bag and meet me at the hospital in about an hour. That way we can hook you up to the monitors and keep an eye on your progress." As she was snapping off her rubber gloves, my head was starting to spin. "Your blood pressure is also up just a bit, so we really need to keep a close eye on you. Okay? So, I'll see you in about an hour in admitting. Any questions?"  
  
I looked at her in a daze. Questions? Questions? Like how in the hell am I going to get two watermelons out of a button hole. "No, no questions right now. I'm fine. Come on guys help me up and get my clothes back on so we can go get my stuff. Connie, have you heard from Joe yet?"  
  
"No, I've left messages all over. No one knows where he is. The jerk, how come he choses now to go off on assignments. Don't men know anything about sensitively?"  
  
"It's okay Connie, it's his loss" yeah right, more like our loss at not having our father around. A tear started to swell in my eyes. No, no, don't cry in front of them.  
  
I sat down on the chair so that Connie and Lula could tie my shoes. The top button on by pants popped open. "Well I guess it's about time, guys, you are getting so big my fat clothes aren't fitting anymore." I stood up and pulled my shirt down over the top of my pants.  
  
"Aren't you going to refasten those," asked Lula.  
  
"Why, they are just going to pop open again when I sit down."  
  
We drove over to the house to retrieve my bag. It had been packed by the door for a week, right next to the two car seats. Joe was so cute when we picked them out a few weeks ago. I was starting to think he was coming around, but then he took off on assignment. Joe, where are you?? Why don't you call?  
  
"Hey, Steph, there's a message on your machine. Can I listen to it?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead, probably just my mom checking on me."  
  
Lula hit the play button. "Hi, Steph. I just got the message that you were looking for me. I'm still tied up on this case. I want to be there, really I do. I'm sorry I'm letting you down. I will do my best to be there what, what do you want, can't you see I'm on the phone okay, okay I'll be right there I have to go Steph, something is going down. Hopefully we can wrap this up and I'll be there before A and B pop into this world. I do love you very much. Bye .. I'm coming, I'm coming ." Click  
  
'See there, Stephanie, he loves you and he'll be there when you need him." I walked over to the phone and checked the caller ID read out. Since his was the last call to come in, his would be the last number on the read out. Humm interesting. I checked the phone number list on the wall. Yep, just as I thought. Terry Gilman. He was at Terry's house calling me. What a slime. What a fool. What a .. Geezee what the hell, oh my goodness. Breath, breath, breath ..  
  
"Steph are you okay, it sounds like you are hyperventilating"  
  
"It's a contraction Lula, hand me the phone. I'm going to give that asshole a piece of my mind!"  
  
Lula gave me the phone with a startled look on her face. I punched *69 and waited a few minutes until Terry picked up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, Terry, this is Stephanie. You tell that slime ball husband of mine that if he isn't at the hospital in 30 goddam minutes I'm going to personally cut his dick off and staple it to the bottom of his shoe! You got it? Good!" down went the phone. The contraction was over. I let out what they call a cleansing breath and headed for the kitchen.  
  
"Stephanie where are you going? The doctor told you not to eat anything. What are you doing?" I had grabbed the Snapps bottle out of the cupboard and took a swig and then coughed. Hot going down, warm glow coming up. There, that's better. "Drinking? You are drinking before giving birth? Well, I never. Connie, Connie, Stephanie is drinking."  
  
"You go girl!" Was all I heard from Connie. One more swig and I put the bottle on the counter. Okay, now lets go.  
  
"Do either of you have a watch? I need to keep track of my contractions. Connie, Lula, either of you have a watch? Where are you two? Connie? Lula? Where the hell did they go?" I looked around the living room and then heard a muffled sound up stairs. "Connie, Lula, what are you doing up there?" I climbed the stairs and found them in the baby's bedroom. "What are you two doing up here? It's time to go."  
  
"We were just looking at the baby's room. Just think in just a little while, this room will be filled with life. Things will be so different. We just wanted to look at this empty room before it was filled up. Are you ready to go now? Better brush your teeth, you smell like alcohol."  
  
Um, Good idea. Don't want Dr. Wheeler to get the wrong idea.  
  
Brushed my teeth, grabbed my bag and put the two car seats in the back of Lula's car. Didn't want to chance Joe not showing up. About half way to the hospital another contraction started. I was sitting between Connie and Lula and started huffing and puffing. Both of them let out a shriek causing drivers on both sides of us stop and look at our car. I grabbed them both by the top of the thigh, and in my pain, squeezed. I guess really, really hard. They were slapping my hands trying to get me to release.  
  
"Stephanie let go of us, let go, let go, let go! Breath, breath, Breath. Geeze girl you gave me a welt that's gonna bruise something fierce. You okay, girl? Honey, are you okay?"  
  
"It's, it's okay, I'm alright now, but you had better hurry, I think you had better hurry."  
  
Lula stepped on the gas. Even with her cop radar up, we attracted a black & white who decided to pull us over. Thank goodness it was Carl. He was pulling out his book to write us a ticket when Lula jumped out of the car with her hands straight in the air. Carl pulled his gun out and took aim.  
  
"DON"T shoot, I have a pregnant woman in the car who is about to have twins. If I have to sit next to her during one more contraction, you will have to deliver these babies by the side of the road. Now, can I put my hands down?"  
  
"Stephanie, is that you?" Carl asked as he ran up beside the car. "Stephanie..? Oh my God." I must have looked a site. Another contraction had started and I had Connie in a full nelson. I was breathing hard and Connie was starting to gasp for breath. "Don't worry Steph, we'll see that you get to the hospital as quick as possible. But first, you have to let go of Connie. That's right, let go of her. Good. Now, looking up at Lula, "Follow me."  
  
"Ccccaaarrrllll. Carl. CARL!"  
  
"Yes, Steph?"  
  
"I tried to find Joe before we left, but I don't know where he is. I don't want to have these babies without him there. Can you please, please, find him. Please??"  
  
Lula pulled Carl over and walked/jogged him back to his car. "Listen, Carl, Joe called and left a message on their machine. Stephanie read the Caller ID and redialled the number. Joe was calling from Terry Gilman's phone. I don't know what's going on, but either you find him before she has those babies, or he can look at kissing his woman goodbye. She's almost at the point of leaving now, so you had better do something and do something quick."  
  
Carl nodded in understanding and climbed into his cruiser. Lula ran back to her car and climbed in. I had laid my head back on the seat and was breathing. Connie looked white and was rubbing her neck. "Let's go, Lula, we've got to get her to the hospital before she has another contraction. Go, go, GO!!!  
  
Following Carl, we made it to the hospital in record time. However, three more cruisers joined in the procession all the way to the emergency room. Connie got out and ran to get me a wheel chair even though I protested that I could walk on my own. Between Lula, Connie, Carl, Eddie, and the others, I reluctantly sat down in the wheel chair.  
  
"Carl, have you found Joe yet?" 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
  
Lula looked at Carl, who looked at Eddie, who shook his head.  
  
"Not, yet, but we are still looking. He's on assignment and it's pretty confidential. Everyone knows you are here, it's just a matter of time before we track him down." At that, my feet hit the pavement and stopped the wheel chair in full motion, I stepped up and out, turned around as if possessed. I looked at Carl, Eddie, and the others and started to breath heavily. Lula took a step backward out of my path, as did Connie - guess they knew the look. Carl stepped forward to help steady me - his worst mistake. I grabbed him by the arm and started to squeeze and pull down as a contraction hit. Eddie stepped in to help and I grabbed his arm in a similar fashion. They both let out a yelp trying to pry my fingers off their arms.  
  
"Geeze, Stephanie, Breath, breath. Let go of my arm. UUUGGGHHHH STEPHANIE!! Breath, breath. There, in, out, in out, in out. Now, sit down. Don't worry, we will find him." Carl turned to the other policemen "Find Joe. Find Officer Morelli NOW. Do whatever you can or you will be sitting next to her next. Do you hear. Go, go GO!!" The other officers took off like a bat as Carl and Eddie tried to help me back into the wheelchair. I guess all our commotion caused the nurses and orderlies to come out to see what was going on.  
  
One nurse, who must have graduated from the Miss Nicey Nicey school of dreams rushed over with a sickly smile on her face.  
  
"Now, calm down, we cannot have you delivering that baby out here, now can we. Here let me take the chair and go check you in." As she tried to put her weight into my chair to push me up the ramp, I heard her say the wrong thing. "My, my, you've had one too many ding dong's haven't you. I may need some help."  
  
I was in no mood for this sickly sweet talk and was ready for another drink. I put my feet to the ground again. "Look, Nurse Cratchet, for your information I have two ding dongs in here, and right now they want to come OUT! So just shut up and get me into the building. Carl, Eddie, take the wheel. I need someone with some muscle to get me up this ramp. Thank you." With that I started to sniffle. "I'm so sorry I'm being such a bitch. I don't know what's the matter with me. I am so scared and this is so overwhelming and I feel so alone here, and . Lula did you get my bag out of the car? Where is Joe anyway Carl. What is he doing that's more important than this? I just don't understand why he's with Terry. Is it because I've gotten so fat? It just isn't fair. It, it, it .."  
  
I heard Lula whisper 'oh shit here comes another one. Watch out.' With that Carl and Eddie started to run and pushed me through the emergency doors yelling for help. Even though I was breathing, the pain was unbearable. I looked over at Lula who was looking at me doing the He He He He Ho Ho Ho thing, and I just wanted to slap her. A different nurse tried to help me out of the chair and gave me a gown to change into. She also tried to usher everyone out of the room. "No. No, I need them here with me. They all NEED to stay." I was leaning on the side of the bed, breathing, trying to maintain my control when I started to cry.  
  
"Stephanie, honey, it will be okay. We will find Joe. Don't worry. Just concentrate on what you are doing and everything will be okay. Now, come on, Eddie and I are going to leave the room so Connie and Lula can get you changed. We will be right outside if you need us. Okay? Okay, let's go Eddie."  
  
"You can do this Steph. Shirley got through it twice so I know you can. We will find Joe. Don't worry."  
  
Lula and Connie helped pull my clothes off and put the gown on. I wanted to leave my underwear on, but Lula and Connie thought that would defeat the purpose. "Oh, yeah."  
  
Dr Wheeler hadn't arrived yet, but the on-call doctor showed up. He was oriental and I couldn't quite understand what he was saying. I looked at Lula and Connie, they shrugged their shoulders all the while patting mine. Finally we began to understand that he wanted me to lay back, scoot down on the table, and put my feet in the stirrups. As soon as I did, Connie and Lula both moved down to take a look. Nurse Cratchet had come in to translate since I was becoming very frustrated.  
  
"Okay, we've only dilated to five. You have five more to go before we can start getting those two out."  
  
'FIVE! After all that, I've only dilated to a five. Where is my doctor? Where is Dr. Wheeler? I need drugs!"  
  
"Now, calm down, she is on her way. As soon as she gets here, I'm sure she will give you something. Now, why don't you get down off the table and walk around the hospital. Walking normally gets things moving. That and sex, but since the sperm donor isn't here, I think you should just walk. Unless, of course, one of these women is your significant other? We could draw the curtain?"  
  
I looked at Connie and then at Lula and we all squiggled up our faces. "My husband is on assignment. My friends out in the lobby are trying to locate him. I think I'll try walking. Please let me know as soon as Dr. Wheeler gets here so I can have something for the pain. I don't like pain. I don't like being shot at. I don't like being chased. I don't like . Lula, Connie, come on, follow me, I don't like being alone either."  
  
Reluctantly, Lula and Connie followed me down the hall. "Hum, Stephanie, I think you need to wrap this other gown around you from the back."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because the one you have on doesn't reach to tie in the back. You have a mighty find butt, but I don't think the other people in the hospital will appreciate watching it walk down the hall."  
  
As I craned my neck to see, I caught my reflection in the glass mirrors. There I was, bold as life, butt naked. "Oh, geeze, hand me the towel. Can it get any worse than this? Don't answer that, lets just walk."  
  
And walk we did, up and down the corridor, around one wing and into another. Lula and Connie were taking turns until Mary Lou turned up for her round. Every once in a while I would stop, grab my back and the wall, or whoever was closest and start breathing and cussing Joe's name. "That SOB I swear, I swear I am going to kill him when I see him. Who the hell does he think he is? Maybe I chose the wrong man after all. Maybe I should have believed Ranger. Maybe I should have tried to, oh shit, what am I saying, I'm crazy. I love Joe. Who am I kidding. Have they found him yet? Where is he. Hey, Eddie, any news? Come here, Eddie, walk with me. Talk to me. Get my mind off of what's not happening. Eddie, please."  
  
"I don't know Steph. You are a great friend, but if I come home with any more bruises, Shirley is going to start questioning where I've been. Carl, you've got the bullet-proof vest on, why don't you walk with Stephanie for a while." Carl looked up from the dog-eared magazine he was looking at.  
  
"What? You want me to walk around with Stephanie?" Gulp "Alone?"  
  
"Carl, get your ass off that chair and come with me. It's not that bad. Really. I just don't like pain. I'm headed down to the west wing this time if my freakin' doctor suddenly shows up. Has anyone checked on her? What's keeping her so long? I must be close to the breaking point, I, I, I, eyyeyeyeye oooowwwwweeee Geeze that hhhuuuurrrtttsssss!"  
  
Carl was on my right side and Eddie was on my left holding onto my forearms. The pain had started down by my rear end and quickly moved to my abdomen. I was breathing, and screaming, and breathing all the while trying not to mess my pants. As soon as the contraction passed I opened my eyes to see Carl and Eddie pasty white, Lula and Connie holding on to each other against the wall, and Miss Cratchet on the "red" phone. "It's okay, everything's okay, just a bit harder that time. I need to go to the bathroom. Carl, Eddie, you can let go of my arms now."  
  
"Stephanie, I think you can let go of us now." I looked down and I had a death grip on each of their forearms. Along with their faces being white, my knuckles looked the same. "Oh, sorry. How'd that happen. I thought you guys had hold of me. Any news on Joe?"  
  
"We've been leaving messages everywhere. His pager, his cell phone, his home phone, and other assorted numbers from his rolodex at work. Either he is really under cover, or this assignment has him really, um, busy. Everyone is on the look out for him. He'll be here, he will."  
  
Just then my doctor appeared down the hall. "Stephanie, how are you dear? I came as quick as I could. Now, we really never did discuss how you wanted to proceed. You did want to go with natural child birth, right?"  
  
The room got deathly quiet as all heads, including Nurse Cratchet, turned towards Dr. Wheeler and then back to me.  
  
"What did you say? Natural Child Birth? You mean as in no drugs, no local, no pain medication, NOTHING!!!!! No, no, no. No way. I want drugs and I want some now!" Everyone in the room was nodding their heads murmuring "Yes, now, please."  
  
"Oh no, here comes another one, oooohhhhhh ggggeeeezzzeeee ."  
  
"Breath, Stephanie, remember your breathing, think of a happy place, think of cool water, a trickling brook, birds singing."  
  
"Fuck the happy place! My happy place is on drugs not feeling anything from the waist down! Right now I want to drown your face in that cool brook and throw rocks at the birds to shut them up! Now am I going to get drugs, or not! I have friends here who can legally shoot you, and I think they will, in order to get me medicated." Deep breath, "Now, Dr. Wheeler, can you please give me some drugs."  
  
Dr Wheeler backed up with her hands flat, palms out. "Ooookkkkkay, lets see what we can do." She turned around and started to confer with the nurse. She turned back around with the largest hypodermic needle I've ever seen. "Okay Steph, this will take the edge off but keep you lucid to help deliver these kids. It's too late for an epidural. Guess we should have discussed this sooner. But, oh well, here goes, roll over. Nurse, I want her in one of the delivery rooms now. Preferably the one at the end of the hall. Now. Lets go. Everyone else, out. Those allowed in the delivery room can come, but the rest of you to the waiting room."  
  
"How you doing, Steph?" Lula asked. "I think I'll go out and check the status of Joe. Who do you want with yeah? Hon, listen, it's going to be okay. Steph, Steph? Are you home? Guess that drug took a little more than the edge off."  
  
*******  
  
The nurse wheeled her off to the delivery room while the procession followed down the hall. The small group had started to grow to a much larger congregation including Mr & Mrs Plum, Mrs. Morelli and Bella, Grandma Mazur, Mary Lou, Connie, numerous aunts, and co-workers. Suddenly the emergency room doors burst open and in came Tank and Lester with Joe pinned between them. Terry Gilman followed screaming and yelling trying to get the two men to let go of Joe. Suddenly they stopped and looked at the group of people in the waiting room. Terry ran into the back of Tank with an "humph" and fell flat on her ass. Nobody bothered to help pick her up. "So what's the big emergency that you had to drag Joe away from our, um, assignment?" she asked as she stood up dusting herself off.  
  
"Lula" said Tank, "Here he is. Where is Stephanie. We have orders to deliver him to her room. If she wants him that is."  
  
"Is he drunk?"  
  
"I think he is drunk"  
  
"What's he doing drinking now!"  
  
"Terry, what kind of assignment have you too been on??"  
  
Everyone was now staring at Terry who seemed a little tipsy herself. "Well, it was a special thing that we were working on. Daddy said it would be okay. Besides, why would he want to be here with that fat pig when he could be with me? I was just trying to help him work things out. And I would have if these two hadn't of shown up when they did. Geeze, a girl can't have any (hiccup) fun." There were a lot of eye rolls in the room. Meanwhile Tank and Lester had led Joe to a chair and Carl had brought him a cup of coffee. His mother came up taking both of sides of his face in her hands and pinched his cheeks. Really Hard.  
  
"Maaa whatda do that for. What's everyone so upset about. Why are you all here. Where are we. What's going on??"  
  
More eye rolls and lots of "JOE! You stupid fuck!"  
  
"Joe" it was Lula, "Your wife is down the hall about ready to give birth to your children. She has been trying to find you all morning. She don't deserve a slime ball like you. I know that somewhere in the world it is after noon, but drunk, with another woman, while your wife is in labour. What are you thinking man? I just oughta reach down and slap you silly."  
  
"What are you talking about? Terry said that Stephanie called and said it was a false alarm and not to pay any attention to my pages. Terry, what do you know about this? Terry? Terry? Where did she get off to? Geeze, you mean Stephanie is here? Now? Where? I need to be with her. She'll never forgive me if I'm not there to help." Joe was trying to get up; however, Tank and Lester were holding him down.  
  
"Not yet. Drink this coffee first. Then go into the restroom, wash your face, clean up before you go in there to help. Carl, do you have a clean shirt in your car?"  
  
"Wait, Stephanie's bag. I know she said something about having a change of clothes in there for everybody, let me get it." Lula rummaged through the bag which was left in the waiting room. She came back with a pair of pants, a shirt, socks, and briefs. "Here you go. Now finish your coffee and go get cleaned up. She needs you. Don't know why, but she does. Now, go. Go before I bitch slap you across the room."  
  
In a few minutes Joe reappeared looking much more alive. "Which room is she in? Where is she?"  
  
"This way, come on, she's waiting." Lula lead Joe down the hall, followed by Tank, Lester, Mary Lou, Connie, Carl, and Eddie. They were all giving him tips and hints on how to handle the delivery. Don't do this or that, listen to the doctor, give her pieces of ice chips, encourage her, help her breath, yada yada yada.  
  
"Okay, okay, okay. Now, leave me alone," and he walked into the room. Stephanie was laying propped up on the bed with her knees up, grunting and breathing. The doctor and nurse were talking to her about how well she was doing, to breath and to bear down. It appeared that the contraction was ending and she was laying back on the pillow. "Stephanie. I'm here Honey. I didn't know. Terry told me you called but that it was a false alarm. They… she..."  
  
"Just shut up Joe and get your ass over here and help. I cannot do this without you. Just don't stand there, get your ass over here, NOW!" Joe was there in two steps, while the others waiting outside the door sighed deeply and went back to the waiting room.  
  
Two hours later, Joe emerged from the room carrying two small bundles. Everyone was quiet awaiting his entrance, as they could only see a shadow coming down the hall and footsteps.  
  
"Mom, Mr. & Mrs. Plum, Grandma's, everyone, I'd like to introduce you to, Tegan Stephanie and Daniel Joe. Stephanie is just fine. She's tired, but fine. The doctor will be finished with her shortly and she would like to see everyone, but she wanted you all to meet the babies first. Lula, she wants to see you first." Joe was then swarmed by the group of people that were mingling in the waiting room, all excited to see the new babies. Lula, scooted on down the hall, with a big smile on her face.  
  
"Steph" she asked as she peered into the room. The doctor had her head buried in her crotch sewing up her wounds. "You okay, girl?"  
  
"Lula, did you see them? Aren't they beautiful? I just wanted to tell you thanks. I couldn't of made it without you here with me the whole time. You are a true friend." A tear came down Lula's eyes as she bent down to hug Stephanie.  
  
"Girl, you are too much! But, now, you are going to have to get your skinny white ass out of that bed and back to work soon. Things just won't be the same without you, and how on earth am I gonna continue my training without you??"  
  
"Well, there's always Tank… You know he likes you, a lot"  
  
"I know, he, um, kinda asked me out earlier"  
  
I squealed, "If I could get up, I'd dance around with you"  
  
"Hell, that's not all, Lester asked out Connie"  
  
"Ohmigod, this is fantastic"  
  
We chatted for a few more minutes, and Joe came back into the room.  
  
"I had to fight to them away from our parents and grandmothers. How are you?" he asked leaning to kiss my forehead and handing me our perfect babies.  
  
"Good, um, Lula can you leave us alone for a minute please?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'll see you soon"  
  
After she left, I looked at Joe. "Where were you? I called and called. I was really, really scared, and I needed you."  
  
"I know, and I'm really sorry, I honestly don't know what happened, Terry and I were doing surveillance, and then I got the first call, I left you a message, did you get it?"  
  
I nodded, "I *69'ed and called you back, only I spoke to Terry…"  
  
"She told me that it was a false alarm, and not to worry about you. I guess that was when she started to ply me with beer after beer, and before I knew it I was on my way to becoming smashed and Terry was all over me. The next thing I really remember is Tank and Lester dragging my arse out of Terry's house to here…"  
  
"Do you have any idea how close I was to leaving you, Lula and I practically had my bags packed, and I was going to move back in with Mom, Dad and Grandma."  
  
We were both silent for a moment before Joe spoke up. "I'm going to take some time off, paid leave, at least 2 – 3 months to help you with Tegan and Daniel. But by the number of people who are outside, I really don't think we're going to need a lot of help. Just think of all the babysitters we've got"  
  
The nurse came in them to take the twins to the nursery, and she told us that the crowd outside had doubled, and that none of them were leaving until they saw me.  
  
"I guess we'd better get this over and done with, do you want me to stay?" Joe asked  
  
"Yeah, please"  
  
"Ok, who do you want to see first? He asked  
  
"Family first, I guess"  
  
"I'll get them" Joe replied, kissing me on the forehead.  
  
*******  
  
Around 5pm that afternoon, everyone had gone home, Joe stayed with me through every visitor, until my doctor came to check me over, and I told him to go and get something to eat.  
  
*******  
  
Making my way down to the cafeteria I thought abut how wonderful life was, and how close I came to screwing everything up. Man I felt like the luckiest man in the world.  
  
"Joe?"  
  
I spun around and came fact to face with Terry.  
  
"Hello, I thought you would have gone home by now"  
  
"I just wanted to talk to you, make sure fatty-bomba was what you really wanted"  
  
"Terry, are you still drunk?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Because, I wouldn't touch you with a forty foot pole, you nearly ruined my life, if I were you I'd leave Trenton, because I also heard what you did to her a couple of months ago. Just get the fuck out of my life and out of Steph's"  
  
I think I actually saw tears in her eyes, before to turned and ran down the hall. Behind me I heard a round of applause.  
  
Behind me was Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, Tank, Lester and Bobby.  
  
"Shit man, you really, really told her" Tank said.  
  
"I know, I screwed this up a lot over the last couple of months, but I'm really going to try ad fix things. Hey, why are you guys all still here?"  
  
"We've been at the nursery, just keeping an eye on Tegan and Daniel"  
  
I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Ok, so we knew Terry was still here, and we were looking for her, but I guess you just beat us to her" Connie replied.  
  
"How's Steph?" asked Mary Lou  
  
"She was with the doctor when I came down here, But hopefully she's asleep now. Anyway, I was going to get something to eat, then I'm going back to her room, I'm going to stay here the night"  
  
"Ok, we'll were going now, see you tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be here" I replied.  
  
*******  
  
30 minutes later I went back to Steph's room, and she was still awake waiting for me.  
  
"Hey"  
  
"Hey"  
  
"You know what, I think I just found god parents for Tegan and Daniel" she told me.  
  
I smiled, "You know what, so did I" 


	18. Epilogue Part 1

Something Different  
  
Epilogue Part 1  
  
"When winter comes in Summer When there's no more forever That's when I'll stop loving you" N*Sync  
  
1 Week later  
  
The day we bought the twins home, all we wanted to do was be at home alone with them, unfortunately with our set of family and friends that wasn't gonna happen.  
  
First there was my parents and Grandma Mazur who bought enough stuffed cabbages to last a week, and 2 pineapple upside down cakes, yum! They were closely followed by Mrs. Morelli and Grandma Bella who bought several tins of home made cookies. You know how I can't cook, well Grandma Bella also gave me a cook book. Between the 4 women, dad of course was watching sport with Joe, they fussed over Danny and Tegan, waking them up to hold them, after about 4 hours of fussing, I gave up and went back down stairs to watch TV with dad and Joe. I curled up of the couch, resting my head in Joe's lap and just closed my eyes, hoping it was all a dream, they weren't really there.  
  
I was eventually woken by Danny and Tegan screaming from the nursery. I fell off the couch, before making my way up the stairs to the nursery. To find that the original 5 was now 9, with the addition of Joe's godmother Tina Ragusto, his Aunt Loretta - who bought 3 lasagna's over, my aunt Myra and Uncle Dom and my god mother Constance, who believe it or not bought over my christening gown. Apparently she and Joe's god mother, decided that Danny would wear Joe's christening gown and Tegan mine. Dad decided to leave pretty early on.  
  
Joe followed me in to the nursery and I took Tegan from my mother and Joe took Danny from his Aunt Loretta. I settled into the rocking chair, with Tegan, and was getting her settled, but she wasn't taking, personally I don't think she liked the crowd. I asked them all to please leave the nursery, at first they didn't budge, but eventually, with a little instance from Joe they all went down stairs to the kitchen, leaving Joe and I alone with the twins.  
  
"How so we get rid of them?" I asked.  
  
"I have no idea" he replied, handing me Danny.  
  
After a few minutes they were both sucking happily and I was slowly dropping off to sleep again, when FLASH. I jumped in the chair, which cause Tegan and Danny to start crying again. I looked over at the door, Grandma Mazur was there holding a camera.  
  
"I couldn't resist" she said  
  
Joe came running back into the room, followed by everyone else.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked  
  
"Nothing, grandma just startled me with her camera, she woke the twins. No big deal"  
  
"Okay" he said kissing my forehead.  
  
"Can you please get them to leave?" I whispered to Joe. "I'm just about to put them down, and I don't want them fussing again"  
  
"Sure, I'll try"  
  
Half an hour later, we were alone again, that is until, Lula, Connie, Mary Lou, Tank, Bobby and Lester showed up 4 hours later.  
  
But lets not go there.  
  
3 Months Later  
  
"Steph, Steph, come on let's get back to bed. "  
  
"Huh? Oh ya," there I sat in the rocking chair with a baby at each breast which now looked like deflated balloons. I'd fallen asleep, again, during their 3 am feeding. I looked down and each had a very satisfied, drunken look on their faces. Joe had bent down to pick up Tegan who let out a small sigh and no complaints. Daniel, however, seemed to notice that he was no longer connected and latched on as if starving. He slowly fell back asleep, content with a nipple in his mouth. I slowing slipping in a finger and replaced it with his binky. He sucked fevorishing, eyes still shut. Joe came over and helped me up from the rocking chair and we placed the baby back in his crib. We both let out a sigh and headed back to our room.  
  
Joe had pulled the blankets back, and I was starting to re-button my night shirt, when he placed a hand around my waist, nibbling at my neck and whispered "don't." Even though the kisses and touching felt really good, sleep sounded much better. I was feeling very unattractive, my breasts sucked dry, sagging down to my belly button, and just not in the mood for this activity. I know the doctor had gave her okay at our six week check- up, but I was just a little unsure of how to perform. I mean how sexy did I really look? Okay, this was feeling really good. Okay, I can do this. Concentrate on how good this feels. "Um, Joe."  
  
"Yes. You smell so good. It's been so long. I love you so much." Slowly he took my nightshirt off my shoulders and I let it fall to the floor. Slowly we sank on to the bed.  
  
"Um, Joe, even though this feels really good, I think we might need, some, um, some, help, in the um lubrication department.  
  
"Here, let me take care of that." Slowly, Joe sank down and started to work his magic. Slowly my body stated to wake up, so to speak. Ummm, it's about time, that feels good. Okay, okay, ummmmm?..  
  
"Stephanie, Stephanie wake up? Are you okay, you fell asleep."  
  
"Um, I did. I thought it was a dream. I fell asleep on you? I'm sorry, I'm just so tired. Can we try this again in the morning?"  
  
Joe looked at me like I just kicked him. "In the morning?" he squeeked. "Do I look like I can wait until morning?"  
  
I sat up, propped on my elbows and looked at Mr. Happy bobbing around between his legs. Nope, that guy won't be happy to wait until morning. I laid back down. "Okay, let's try this again. I will try not to fall back asleep. Just go slowly and gently. Okay?"  
  
Joe was nuzzling my neck again, caressing my deflated breasts, slowly working the Morelli magic. Things were going good, really good, two more minutes, two more minutes?.  
  
"Waa, waa, waa"  
  
"I think Daniel lost his binky again."  
  
"Let him be, it's okay. It won't be long now. Please Steph." He pleaded.  
  
I was starting to crawl out from under him. "If I don't get that binky back in his mouth, he's going to wake Tegan up and then we will be up for another hour." I was suddenly flat on my back, Joe staring down at me.  
  
"Stephanie, if we don't finish what we started my eye balls are going to turn white from sperm poisoning. I'll help you get them back to sleep, I promise."  
  
"Okay, okay, how about."  
  
"How about nothing, just relax, I'll take care of everything."  
  
It's okay, concentrate. Concentrate. Block out the crying. Block it out. La, la, la. There, uh hum, ya, that's great, ya, good. Ya, ya, yaa, yaas Oooooo ya, it's been a long time. "Joe, go back, slow down, speed up, ya, ya, YES!"  
  
We lay there panting for all of two minutes before I pulled myself out from under him, pulled on my nightshirt, and headed for the babies room. Both babies were crying now. Actually screaming. "Joe? Joe, where are you? I need some help here. Come on." I picked of Daniel trying to get him to take the binky and walked back into the bedroom. Joe had fallen asleep. How dare he. I kicked him in the foot and he rolled over on the bed. "Uugghhh. Asshole. Okay, Danny, let's go get sister and try to get some sleep before grandma shows up at 8 am. We will get even some how.  
  
I crawled into the spare bed with a baby on each side of me surrounded by pillows. Soon, we all fell asleep. I was awaken by the sound of the door opening, and Mrs. Morelli yelling out our names. Ugghh, she's early. I heard her feet on the stairs and figured she would be in the room any minute and would help me with the kids who were still sleeping.  
  
"Joseph Anthony Morelli! What in gods name are you doing laying there naked! Put some clothes on for goodness sake. I'm afraid to ask, but where is Stephanie."  
  
"Geeze ma, you could have knocked or something. I have a right to sleep in the nude in my own house. Stephanie's probably in the other room with the kids. They had, um, a hard time falling asleep last night."  
  
"Stephanie, is everything alright?" As Mrs. Morelli appeared in front of the door, I was trying to suppress my laughter.  
  
"So, does Joe still have everything God blessed him with originally?" I chuckled  
  
Angie crossed herself "Yes, all the Morelli men were abundantly blessed, but I haven't had the pleasure of viewing it since he was about ten years old when the chicken pox got him everywhere. If, you know what I mean. He had so many pox all over his body, he had to run around the house in a big tee shirt for three days. I had to keep the shades drawn so all the neighborhood girls wouldn't see what god had blessed him with. That boy realized at an early age just what that was and he insisted on showing it to the world when ever he could. Joe was constantly pulling up the shades when I wasn't looking, especially after school got out, waving to all the girls that walked by. That boy, always did have one thing in mind. Now, enough of him, let's get these babies up, bathed and dressed, shall we."  
  
And, with that, we were busy.  
  
4 Years Later  
  
It was about 9am in the morning as I stood in the bathroom, holding the home pregnancy test.  
  
I walked over to the bathroom door and opened it, on the other side was an anxious looking Joe and an excited Mary Lou.  
  
"Well?" they asked in unison.  
  
"Joe, sweety, if you runaway with some blonde bimbo during this pregnancy, I will hunt you down and sick Lula on to you, understand?"  
  
"Steph, is that you obscure way of saying your pregnant?" Joe asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm pregnant" I replied, cracking a grin a mile wide.  
  
Mary Lou did her Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod thing, hugging me, and then Joe, then back to me, after which Joe came over to me and pulled me into his arms and kissed me passionately.  
  
Mary Lou took this as her queue to leave, and I guarantee she was calling Lula and Connie, the moment she got outside.  
  
"You know what? I'm gonna take the day off" Joe declared, "because it's not everyday my gorgeous and sexy wife, tells me she's pregnant" and with that he went to the phone and called in and told them he was taking a personal day.  
  
I thought about when I was due, I was about 6 to 7 weeks pregnant, so add 8 months to that and it's August. Ohmmigod the wedding, I'm gonna be huge.  
  
"You know, it's a good thing the twins were with you mother last night" I told Joe, after he got off the phone "'cause it gives us about 10 minutes of uninterrupted celebrations before the phone rings"  
  
"Or at least 2 hours if we put the machine on and turn the phone off" he told me.  
  
"Sound like a plan" I said, pulling him back into the bedroom.  
  
7½ Months Later  
  
"Tegan, Danny, meet you little brother Ricky"  
  
"He's small" said Tegan.  
  
"He's bald" added Danny.  
  
"He's beautiful, just like his mother" Joe told them.  
  
I looked at Joe and smiled, all our children where beautiful. Danny had my blue eyes and my colouring but Joe's hair, but Tegan, the poor child inherited my curls, but had Joe's eyes and colouring. They were going top be heart breakers. Samuel, was different, he had blonde hair, just like Danny did when he was born, but Ricky's eyes were different colours, the left was blue, the right brown. A perfect blend of Joe and me.  
  
I looked at Joe and saw the love in his eyes, this was a happy man. I glanced down to his arms and saw that they were covered in bruises.  
  
"Ohmigod, did I do that?" I asked  
  
"Yeah, but Lula, Connie, Carl and Eddie all said it was worse last time.  
  
"Where is everyone?"  
  
"Their all outside, the crowd is smaller this time around. Do you want to see them?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Come on you two, lets got find the "Three Wise Aunties" and your grandparents" Joe said to the twins, picking them both up. "We'll be back soon" he said to me, kissing me softly on the lips, this kissing Ricky on the forehead.  
  
I chuckled at Joe's nickname for Lula, Connie and Mary Lou, because where you found one your found two and three.  
  
"Take your time, I have a lot of apologising to do"  
  
"Say bye to mommy and Ricky" he said to the twins.  
  
"Bye mommy, bye Ricky" they said in unison.  
  
"Bye, bye, mommy loves you"  
  
I heard "Love you mommy" as they went out the door.  
  
I looked down at Ricky, sleeping peacefully in my arms and sighed. My life was perfect.  
  
As he left the "Three Wise Aunts" entered the room. Quickly followed be the "Three Uncles" aka - Tank, Bobby and Leister. Personally they reminded me of the Three Musketeers. Don't ask me why!  
  
"Hey Steph, how ya doin'?" Lula asked.  
  
"I'm just dandy, tired, sore, did I mention tired?" I said. "Have you guys meet the newest member of the Plum-Morelli clan - Ricky Aaron" I said showing them the bundle of blue blanket in my arms.  
  
After 10 minutes of ohh'ing and arr'ing. The nurse came in to check on me and placed Ricky in the crib, and moved it next to my bed.  
  
Listen, Lula, Tank, I'm soooooo sorry about the wedding, I wasn't due for another 2 weeks. Boy can I stop a weeding or what!!"  
  
"It's ok Steph, Ricky just wanted to make an exciting entrance into the world." Said Tank.  
  
"Yeah, we'll just postpone it until your ready, I can't get married without my matron of honor." Lula added.  
  
Half and hour later Tank's beeper broke up the conversation.  
  
"What the hell, who is 7-2-6-4-3-7. Oh, oh. Listen, I'll be right back."  
  
After he left, I looked at Bobby and Leister, they had their version of Joe's cop face on. Something was going on. I could smell a rat!  
  
A few minutes later Tank came back to the room and told us that they had to go and do a job.  
  
Tank gave Lula a big kiss goodbye, then Lester kissed his girlfriend Connie goodbye, and just so that Mary Lou and I didn't feel left out, Bobby kissed both of us.  
  
After they left I asked Lula, Connie and Mary Lou if they knew what was going on.  
  
"I don't know, maybe your imagination is just working over time" said Lula.  
  
"Yeah, I suppose so."  
  
"So, Steph, how many more babies are ya gonna pop out?" asked Connie  
  
"No more I swear, I'm 36 and I can't do this anymore. 3 children are enough for me"  
  
"But you said that after the twins" said Mary Lou  
  
"Plus you had 3 false alarms and 1 miscarriage" added Lula  
  
"Yeah, but I have a plan" I stated, "When I get outta here, I'm gonna get Joe a vasectomy for his birthday!"  
  
"You think he's gonna agree to that?" asked a voice from the doorway.  
  
Top Of Page 


	19. Epilogue Part 2

Something Different  
  
Epilogue Part 2  
  
Looking up at the door, I said "I know that voice, but it can't be, 'cause he's in Australia"  
  
"Things change babe"  
  
During this interaction, Lula, Connie and Mary Lou, turned their heads around to look at the door.  
  
"Hey Lula, Connie, Mary Lou" he said  
  
"Oh" said Mary Lou  
  
"My" said Lula  
  
"God" said Connie  
  
THUD  
  
I looked down from my bed, Mary Lou had completely fallen off her chair.  
  
"Ohmigod, are you ok?"  
  
"Yep, just dandy" she replied.  
  
"Hey Lula, why don't you go and get a nurse? Lula? Connie?" I waved my had in front of their faces, but neither of them flinched.  
  
"Right, I'll do it" I said pressing the call button.  
  
In the mean time, Ranger had moved and was now leaning against the wall near the door.  
  
A nurse came into the room, not noticing Ranger.  
  
"Yes, Mrs. Morelli?"  
  
"Hi, my friend here collapsed, and I have feeling two more are about to follow"  
  
THUD, THUD, yep, down went Connie and Lula.  
  
The nurse looked down at them, and then looked to where they seemed to be looking, "oh my" was all she could say.  
  
"God, Ranger, what are you doing to them? Though, its good to know you havn't lost your charm."  
  
Ranger just chuckled.  
  
The nurse finally came back to her senses, and called for some orderlies, to come in and take the three stunned mullets away.  
  
"Will there be anything else Mrs. Morelli? The nurse asked.  
  
"Yes, could you please take Mark back to the nursery?"  
  
"Sure"  
  
"Take a seat" I said to Ranger after the nurse left.  
  
"Thanks" he replied.  
  
"So, how are you?" we asked in unison  
  
"You first" I said to Ranger. "How's life in Australia?"  
  
"Good, we're living in Brisbane at the moment, its really nice, the weather is nice and warm all year round, but I miss being here, close to everyone." He paused and looked at me, I must have been staring at him, "what's wrong?"  
  
"You know, I haven't seen you in a while, but I've never seen you talk for so long" I explained  
  
"Yeah, well that has something to do with my wife Melanie, she's kinda a motor mouth."  
  
"Your married?" I exclaimed  
  
"Year, 2 ½ years"  
  
"Congratulations, is she here?" I asked.  
  
"Mel's waiting in the corridor"  
  
"Ranger, for god sake invite her in"  
  
As he got up to go over to the door, Tegan and Danny came running through the door.  
  
"Mommy, mommy" they cried  
  
"Calm down, what's wrong? Where's your father?"  
  
"He's talking to Aunty Lula, Aunty Con and Aunty Lou" Danny said.  
  
"Who are you?" Tegan asked looking at Ranger.  
  
"I'm a friend of your parents, my name is Ranger"  
  
"Ok, mommy, where's Ricky?" she asked.  
  
"The nurse took him to the nursery, ask nanna and pa if they'll take you to see him."  
  
"Ok, bye mommy, bye Ranger" they said in unison.  
  
"Bye"  
  
After they left, Ranger looked at me and asked. "Did you ever get them tested?"  
  
"Huh, oh DNA, nah, we decided not to, and besides we would have needed your DNA as well."  
  
As I finished the sentence, Joe walked in with a short, visibly pregnant blonde woman, who walked over to Ranger and kissed him.  
  
"Hey Steph" Joe said kissing my forehead. "Hey Ranger"  
  
"Hey Joe, good to see you" he replied, shaking Joe's hand. "I see you've meet my wife Melanie, so Steph, this is my wife Melanie"  
  
"Hi" I said, "Please to meet you"  
  
"Same here" she replied "I've heard all about you from Ranger, and I already know Joe"  
  
I looked at Joe "And how do you know her?"  
  
"Oh, Steph" Melanie said laughing, "It's not what you think, Joe is my cousin, um, Bella's mothers sisters great granddaughter"  
  
"This is quite a family we've gotten out selves into, huh Ranger" I said.  
  
"Yeah, but I wouldn't have it any other way" he replied.  
  
"Neither would I"  
  
30 Years Later  
  
"Happy 35th anniversary" the crowd called out.  
  
"Holy shit" was all Joe and I could get out.  
  
It was hard to believe that we have been married for 35 years. Looking at Joe I can still see the 18 year old bay who charmed me out of my pants behind the éclair case at the Tasty Pastry, he may be pushing 70, but he was still sex on legs, and we bonk like rabbits, thank god for viagra, not that we need it of course.  
  
As for me, well, having only just turned 66 in the last couple of months, I feel like I'm still 40, and unlike Grandma Mauza, I can still get away with wearing my bike shorts, our kids and grand kids don't mind, they think I'm fashionable, so who's gonna tell them otherwise.  
  
Speaking of kids.  
  
Daniel and Tegan are about to turn 35.  
  
Tegan with the help of her husband Antonio (the only son of Tank and Lula) bought out Vinnie 6 years ago, and now run the business. There's a 7 year age difference between them, but it doesn't bother them, nor us, because they grew up together. Anyway, they have twin girls aged 2 ½ , Nikita Sara and Megan Stephanie, and they are pregnant with number 3.  
  
Daniel, as he is now known, became a cop, just like Joe, he's a single father, his wife Joy died 5 years ago. Their son Josh just turned 8. He is sooooo smart, his IQ is like somewhere over 110 already. We have very high hopes for him.  
  
Ricky is a computer programmer, working for Randy Biggs. He and his wife Katie have a son, Aaron and Jennifer.  
  
Joe retired 3 years ago, and now he spends his timer playing gold, restoring old Harley Davidsons, helping me bring in the odd FTA, or spending the day in bed with me!!!!  
  
Yes, you heard correctly, I'm still going after FTA's or working Connie's old job - the 2 of us, share the job.  
  
Tank and Lula finally married 4 months after Ricky's birth. They've been married for just over 30 years. Tank is still running Rangeman, but I think he want's Antonio to take over soon.  
  
Lula hasn't changed at all, she's still outrageous and between she and 1 our granddaughters are spoiled rotten.  
  
Mary Lou doesn't have any grandchildren that she knows of, both of her sons left the nest so to speak about 3 months after Lenny died in a freak ice cream truck accident. (Don't ask!)  
  
Connie and Leister never got married but have been living together for just on 30 years, they have 5 children (Sarah - 30, Tim - 29, Roger - 27, Janet - 24 and Alison - 21), letrs just say they rarely venture out of their house! They have 2 grandchildren cuttosy of Sarah and Alison, with several more on the way.  
  
All in all I think life has treated us really well.  
  
The End  
  
P.S. Of I almost forgot, Ranger and Melanie have 3 boys, Rick Junior, Leigh and Dean. They still live in Australia, but come a visit lots.  
  
The End 


End file.
